Hidden Memories
by hplaxr90
Summary: It's been eleven years since the Final Battle against Voldemort and Draco is the Potions teacher at Hogwarts. But, his life gets an unexpected twist when a young girl, Jane Granger, attends the school. What could be the connection between him and Hermione


Hidden Memories

**Chp. 1: A Brand New Year**

It was a cool, crisp morning on the first of September. Draco Malfoy woke up to the sound of the leaves on the trees rustling in the wind outside his window. He realized that today was the day that all the students of Hogwarts would be entering the school. He had been the Potions master and the Head of the Slytherin house for the past eleven years. It had been twelve years ago to the day when it was his last year at the school and it's been eleven years since the Final Battle of the Second War in which Harry Potter had defeated Voldemort and all of his followers had either been killed or locked up in Azkaban for life. Draco had been fortunate enough to have fought against Voldemort, against his father's will, but afterward, he just kept to himself and worked at Hogwarts, making his life the school. He had never married. He had very few girlfriends, which was shocking since he was so good looking with his mature face and his silvery, blonde hair that fell just above his eyes, making them look mysterious and a bright grey that could put the moon to shame.

He got up and changed into his wizarding robes and headed down to the Great Hall to get something to eat before the students were to arrive. Most of the teachers at Hogwarts had remained after the war. Professor Dumbledore was still the headmaster and Professor McGonagall was the Transfiguration teacher and the head of the Gryffindor house. The only teacher that hadn't remained at Hogwarts was Professor Snape since he had been killed during the battle by Voldemort, when he had learned of Snape's treachery by fighting for the Order. Draco had been offered the job after he graduated and he took the job and had been working there ever since.

After breakfast, he went out to the Quidditch pitch to get some flying in before the students arrived and he would no longer be able to fly around simply for fun. He lived at Hogwarts year round and so he was allowed to fly recreationally during the summer but never during the school year. He sat atop his Firebolt 4500, one of the older editions of the broom, and just went through some of the moves that he had learned so long ago while he had been a student at the magic school. While atop the broom, a memory that he didn't know existed came drifting into his mind.

_He was playing Quidditch for the last time. It was the end of their seventh year at Hogwarts and Slytherin was beating Gryffindor 120-30. He, Draco Malfoy, was the Seeker for the Slytherin team and was watching the game intently since the Snitch was nowhere in sight. He caught sight of Harry Potter flying around, trying to tell his team certain plays to execute. He had become the captain of the Gryffindor team. He looked up and noticed Draco watching him. He just watched Draco for a moment, before going back to yelling at his teammates that they needed to execute the play, now. _

_In that moment, Draco felt that he and Harry Potter had come to a silent agreement. They were okay with one another. Harry didn't consider him a friend nor did he seem to forgive all that Draco had done wrong in the past. However, Harry didn't feel so much hate for Draco any longer. Draco didn't quite know why, but he knew that he was okay with the acceptance of Harry Potter. Later that night was the Final Battle, when Harry defeated Voldemort. So much had happened during the War that it had caused Draco to change. He was no longer an arrogant, stuck up prat, but he was now a kind, gentle soul. He started to care for people and he realized that bullying people was not the way to success. It's the way to destruction. He had decided to fight alongside the Order when the Final Battle began at the beginning of the summer. Harry and the others all knew that and none of them seemed to be filled with the same hatred that they used to have. However, none of them seemed to completely forgive him. None of them, except one._

_He looked into the stands and saw all the students from the school had come onto the grounds to view the final match of the year. He looked over at the Gryffindor stands and saw Hermione Granger watching his every move. Their eyes locked but hers filled with tears before she finally looked away. Draco didn't understand. He didn't want her to cry. He felt so bad that she was crying but he couldn't figure out why. He couldn't understand what could possibly make her so upset by the mere sight of him. He felt that there was a specific reason why she was crying and why he cared so much but he just couldn't figure it out. _

_While he was sitting there, pondering, the Snitch flew past his head and as soon as he heard the buzzing and was brought out of his deep thoughts, he hurried in the direction where the little golden ball was flying. He pushed the broom with all his might. This was going to be the day when he finally caught the ball. He wanted Hermione to finally cheer him on and to show her that she didn't need to cry. Draco couldn't explain the feelings that he had for Hermione, nor did he want to understand but regardless, he wanted to show off to her and prove to her that everything is okay. The ball was just in front of him as he skimmed the top of the grass. Harry was gaining speed right behind him but Draco stuck out his hand and his hands closed on something cold and metallic. He fell off the broom as the broom hit the ground but he didn't notice. The only thing he noticed was Hermione and that she was still crying but she was smiling the biggest smile that she had ever smiled in her life. _

He had forgotten about that memory. It was a bittersweet memory. Yes, he had finally won the Quidditch cup but at the same time, he had to witness Hermione crying. He still couldn't figure out why it bothered him so much to see her crying. He wasn't good friends with her or anything. They had fought in the same war, on the same side but he had hardly ever seen her. In fact, the only memories he had of her were the first six years of their schooling, and then the war. It always seemed odd to him that his memories of his seventh year seemed to be all in a blur. He remembered being Head Boy and Hermione being Head Girl but he couldn't remember any specific interactions between them, other than the Quidditch match.

He heard a faint train whistle off in the distance and he knew that the students had arrived for another long year at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry.

**Chp. 2: Jane Granger**

Draco headed back to the castle to get cleaned up and then he headed down to the Great Hall for the Welcoming Feast. He sat in his normal seat as the other staff members and students came strolling into the dining hall. Dumbledore placed a stool and the Sorting Hat at the front of the hall. The first years then proceeded to the front of the room, being led by Professor McGonagall. He looked at the bright eyed newcomers. He recognized a familiar face standing among them. There was a boy that was the spitting image of Harry Potter, with his dark black hair and glasses. Another familiar face, though not too familiar, was a red haired girl that looked exactly like all of the other Weasleys. So, they all did grow up to be one great big, happy family, he thought to himself. After the Second War, he and the Trio didn't keep in contact and he had always wondered what had become of them. He occasionally heard about Harry or his best friend, Ron, having some kind of triumph as an Auror in the Daily Prophet. Most of their life, however, was not publicized as it had been when he had been younger. Draco had also always figured that Harry and the youngest Weasley and Ron and Hermione would get married together, even though Ron and Hermione almost always fought together.

Professor McGonagall held a parchment out in front of her and started reading names of students off the list.

"James Potter," she called and the boy who looked exactly like the great Harry himself stepped forward. The Hat had barely touched his head before it shouted, "Gryffindor!"

"Gabriella Weasley," and this time the Weasley girl swiftly moved toward the Hat. Draco noticed that she walked almost like a Veela. She was also placed in Gryffindor.

After Gabriella, assortments of students were placed in all the different houses until there was one girl left. Draco had tuned out most of the sorting until the moment his eyes laid on the lone girl. He noticed that she had long, platinum blonde hair, almost like his own and she seemed to be rather paler than normal. Her eyes, though, are what struck him the most. He knew he had seen those eyes before, but he couldn't remember where. They were a deep, chocolate brown.

"Jane Granger," Professor McGonagall called out as the young girl bounced up the steps and sat gracefully on the stool. Draco sat there, wondering how that girl could be Weasley and Granger's daughter. She had absolutely no traces of any Weasley blood in her. The Hat seemed to be on her head, debating which house would be good for her until it screamed out, "Slytherin!" at which the young girl's face sank. Apparently, she had been hoping for anything but this house. Her mother had warned her of the slight chance she might be in Slytherin since her father had been in that House. Her mother didn't speak of her father often, since Jane had learned she was not to ask about him, but when she did, it was like he was some sort of hero and the most amazing person in the world. She slowly trudged over to the Slytherin table and Draco just sat in his chair, amazed by the young girl.

Draco was extremely puzzled by the young girl. He didn't know why he was so interested in her, but the more he looked at her, the more he wanted to know about her. There was something about her that made him feel happy and proud but he had no clue why.

Dumbledore got up and welcomed all the teachers and students to another year at Hogwarts. Draco wasn't listening. He was still thinking about Jane Granger and how much she seemed to remind him of Hermione and even somewhat like himself. Draco finally came to the conclusion that Hermione must have found herself a better guy and dumped Weasley for him and together, the new guy and she had a child. However, he couldn't stop wondering who the guy was and how come the girl was able to resemble a lot of him.

That night, Draco was in the Potion's room reviewing his plans for the next day when he heard a knock at the door.

"Come in, it's not locked," he called, not even bothering to look up, assuming that it was just another teacher trying to tell about him some new school rule or something he should know.

"Um, hi, pardon me but I was wondering if you could show me to the Slytherin common room. I had to use the lavatory and I got lost. My name is Jane Granger, by the way," the sweet little girl told him as he looked up from his work and examined her. Now that he was closer to her, the deep eyes seemed even deeper. He could not get over the fact that they were so identical to her mother's.

"Sure, Miss Granger. Follow me," he got up and led her down a dark corridor, leading toward the lake. "Its right there," he pointed to a picture of a tall, dark wizard with a snake at his side. "Do you know the password?"

"Yes, it's 'aquus'. Thanks for your help," she told him as she turned as the portrait swung open and then closed after she entered.

He headed back to his own dormitory. He was wondering how such a sweet girl could be in Slytherin. Whoever her father was, he must have some pretty dark blood running in his veins for such a cute, innocent child to end up in such a dark and cold House.

**Chp. 3: Potions and Detention**

The next day was Draco's first day of teaching potions for the year. His first class was with the fourth year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. They were easy enough to teach. After that class, he had the first year Gryffindors and Slytherins. Gabriella, James and Jane entered the room and all three sat together. A few of the students watched them, not understanding why the two houses were mixing, but when Draco cleared his throat, all their attention was on him.

"Welcome to potions. In this class, you will learn all about the different kinds of potions and how to create them. Be forewarned, some of the potions are dangerous, even deadly. Do not try any fooling around. Otherwise, you could become severely injured or you might even end up dead. Today, however, we will just be discussing potions. We will start making actual potions next class. Now, who can tell me what the most powerful truth telling serum known to wizard kind is?"

At this, a certain young girl's hand immediately shot up into the air, just as Draco had expected it to. Her mother had always done the same. She had always known the answer to every question, and was always correct.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Veritaserum, sir," Jane stated and Gabriella and James glanced at her and then smiled.

"That is correct. Five points for Slytherin," Draco smiled briefly, realizing this was going to be a long year with a mini Hermione.

For the rest of the class, he decided to try and not ask too many questions. When he had to ask a question, however, Jane raised her hand and no one else in the room dared to raise their hand with her. He always had to call on her and she was always correct. It was somewhat annoying having to always have her answer correctly. He could now understand why Snape was always vexed with Hermione. It got obnoxious after awhile and so finally, the bell rang to signal the end of class and the students hurried from the room.

Draco watched the students leave and he watched Gabriella, James and Jane all leave the room together. It reminded him so much of the Trio that had been together during his school years. When he attended Hogwarts, he always thought that he had ruled the school. However, watching those three leave, he realized that the Trio truly ruled the school and that he was just another student. He felt jealous that he hadn't been part of their amazing friendship and that they received all the attention.

Later on that week, he received a notice from Professor McGonagall, telling him that Jane was to be spending detention with him for the rest of the week. When he got the letter, he stared at it and thought there was some mistake. He decided to visit the professor and see for himself.

"Professor," Draco called as he entered the Transfiguration room. McGonagall drifted into the room from her office.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy," she asked him.

"I just received your letter about Jane and I was wondering if there was some sort of mistake. She's a very sweet girl. What exactly did she do to deserve detention?"

"Well, I am surprised as well but, apparently, she has been bullying the other Slytherin students. She claims that they were making fun of her birth, calling her filthy names and so she used magic on them, outside of the classroom," Professor McGonagall's expression seemed to show sadness but there was also a trace of amusement.

"She sounds just like her mother," Draco muttered to himself, hoping Professor McGonagall didn't hear him. Unfortunately, she did.

"Yes, I dare say she is. She seems to be a lot like her parents," Professor McGonagall seemed to smile at this comment and Draco looked at her, confused. He had no idea that she knew who this young girl's father was. He was curious but he didn't press further.

"Thank you, Professor. That's all I needed." Draco turned around and walked out of the room as Professor McGonagall watched him intently, chuckling to herself.

"He'll find out, soon enough. I just hope that when he does, it doesn't hurt him," she told the empty classroom as she turned around and headed back into her office to finish her plans for the next day.

The next night, at eight o' clock sharp, Jane Granger appeared in Draco's office, looking apologetic.

"Good evening, Professor Malfoy," she nodded to him as he put down the book he was reading and brought her to the Potions room to the shelves covered with potions.

"Good evening, Miss Granger. Tonight and for the rest of the week, you will be helping me arrange the potions in my stock in alphabetical order. I'm afraid that over the summer, they've become disorganized. So, here is the collection of potions. I will be sitting right here, at the desk, grading homework. If you need me, just ask."

She nodded and started taking the potions off the shelf and placing them on the desk next to her. Draco pretended to be grading a few papers while he was deep in thought about the young girl before him. Why was it that she interested him so? He had no idea but the mystery of her father was tugging at him and it would not stop bothering him until he got the answer he wanted. He decided to talk to her and see what she could tell him, if she knew anything.

"So, Miss Granger, did you know that I went to school with your mother," he tried to sound casual, as if he hadn't thought much of it.

"Yes, Professor, I did. She told me all about you. She told me how she, Uncle Harry, Aunt Ginny, Ron and you all went to school together." Draco just nodded. He noticed how she mentioned Ron's name and didn't call him dad or father, but called him Ron. He wondered if that meant anything.

"Yes, we all went to school together. Did she tell you about all the adventures that they all had?"

"Well, sometimes. Only if I can't sleep. She tells me all the wonderful stories about the adventures that they used to have to help me fall asleep. Other than that, she won't tell me anything. She says it just brings back too many painful memories," Jane felt sad since she thinking about her mother being all teary eyed while thinking about the past.

Draco just sat there for awhile, watching her continue to organize the potions. He finally went back to grading papers and they didn't talk much more. After two hours, he told Jane that she was free to go and that he would see her tomorrow. Jane, quietly, put the remaining potions back on the shelf and said goodnight and headed down to her common room to get some sleep.

Detention became a routine for Draco and Jane. Every night, at eight, Jane would enter and head straight for the shelves, while Draco would continue grading papers. They worked in complete silence every night, until the last night of Jane's detention. Jane had finished early but she still had half an hour left to her detention. Draco looked up from his papers and inspected the shelves. They were perfectly organized from A-Z. Draco decided to talk more to the young girl, to see if there was anything else he could find out from her.

"Well done, Miss Granger. These are all in perfect order."

"Thank you, sir. I was wondering if there's anything else you need me to do," she asked looking around the room to see if there was anything else that needed organizing.

"No, I think everything else is organized. Since there's still a little bit longer of your detention, how about we chat? So, what can you tell me about Harry Potter? I haven't seen him in ages. You said he was your uncle?"

Jane looked so excited to be talking about her family. No one really asked her about her family. She was friends with Gabriella and James but they were like her cousins. She didn't really have any other friends outside of her family. She didn't know why, but she felt comfortable telling her potions master all about her family. It just felt right.

"Well, Harry and Ginny are like my uncle and aunt. I call them Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny but they really aren't, since my mom's not technically related to them. Harry, as you already know, has a son James. He also has a daughter, Molly, but she's only six years old. Bill and Fleur are also like my aunt and uncle. They have a daughter, Gabriella, who you also know. They also have a son, Albert, but he's ten and will be here next year. Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny live right next door to me and my mom. Ron has been living with us for awhile, but sometimes he stays at Grandma Molly and Grandpa Arthur's house, at the Burrow. Uncle Harry is an Auror with Ron. They can perform some pretty cool magic but mum always gets mad when they spoil me. I heard Ron once tell my mum that they spoil me because they want to make up for not having a father figure. I told him that he was like a father to me. I really like all of them. They're all so nice. They've talked about you, sometimes. My mum doesn't like to talk about you, though. I don't know why. She always tells Ron and Uncle Harry not to talk about it and Aunt Ginny has to give her a hug. My mum, Uncle Harry, Aunt Ginny and Ron are all so close," she finished looking up at Draco, who seemed to be lost in thought.

Draco was stunned that Hermione seemed upset at having to talk about him. Why was that? Did it have anything to do with that day when he won the Quidditch game and saw Hermione crying? He was now more confused than ever. He broke his train of thought when he noticed Jane watching him, not understanding why he was just sitting there. There was still one more thing Draco wanted to know. She had said something about not having a father figure. Wasn't Ron her father?

"They all seemed pretty close back when we all went to school. They were the coolest people I knew, I just didn't know it. Your Uncle Harry was the bravest wizard alive. Your mother was the smartest witch of her age, and I can see that in you." At this, Jane blushed but flashed a great smile. "And your father, Ron, well, he wasn't the smartest or bravest, but he was clever and funny and he was probably the greatest friend you could ever ask for."

Jane giggled slightly. "Ron's not my dad. He's my mum's boyfriend. I don't have a dad. I've asked my mum about him but she won't tell me who it is. She tells me all kinds of stories about him. She says that he was in Slytherin, he was Seeker for the Quidditch team, and, he was Head Boy along with my mum. I hope to be just like my parents and become Head Girl when I'm in my seventh year." She had a gaze in her eyes as she thought about the future. She looked up at the clock and realized her detention was over.

"Um, professor, it's after ten. Am I free to go," she asked, puzzled by his shocked expression on his face.

"What, oh, yeah, you can go," Draco looked up. He had been sitting there in shock. Jane bid him goodnight and bounced out of the room.

Draco just sat in that chair, for three hours, contemplating how, the person Jane said that her mother described as her father, was everything that he himself had been and done. How could he, Draco Malfoy, have had a child with Hermione Granger and have no memory of it?

**Chp. 4: Questions and Answers**

For the next two weeks, Draco had to teach potions class and see Jane Granger everyday and realize that she was his daughter. How it was possible, he knew not. He had sent five letters to Hermione but received no reply. He had asked the Headmaster about his daughter but Dumbledore refused to tell Draco anything. He said that Hermione would tell him everything in time. Draco was frustrated but at the same time proud. He watched his daughter excel in school. She had the highest grades in her class and, even though she got in trouble almost every day, she never ceased to show bravery and take responsibility for her actions. He was glad that even though she had his recklessness inside her, she still had her mother's courage and intelligence. He didn't want her to become the nothing that he had become. He wanted her to be like Hermione. He had figured out that she must have been born right after the War, considering the fact that the War was eleven years ago and she must have been eleven to attend Hogwarts. Draco was still confused at to how he had had a child with Hermione, as he had no memory of not only ever having sex with her, but he actually had no memories of interactions between them, other than the ones where he bullied her, for which he was truly sorry for ever having done. He didn't understand how if he had done and said all those horrible things to her, then how could she possibly have a child with him? It didn't make any sense and he wanted nothing more than to understand. At night, he would stare out the window at the brightly lit moon shining light on the silver and green sheets on his bed. He would think and try to remember something, anything but the only thing that would seem to float around in his mind was the day he won the Quidditch match. Nothing else came to mind.

One night, later on in the fourth week of school, during the first week of October, Jane was once again in detention. Draco this time had her help grade papers, since there was nothing else for her to do and Draco didn't want to punish who he thought was his daughter, too severely. He had never told her that it was he that was her father for he feared that one, she might not believe him and two, it might be better if he talked to Hermione first, just to make absolutely one hundred percent sure, even though he was ninety nine point nine percent sure he was correct. She did say that Hermione said that her father had been Head Boy and was in Slytherin, and that fit Draco's background. It also made sense as to why she had long, beautifully platinum blonde hair and her complexion was just a little fairer than most.

Every night during detention, Jane would talk to Draco about her childhood. She felt some kind of connection with him. He didn't just feel like her professor, almost like a father figure to her. He would talk to her about the school and tell her all kinds of secrets she didn't know about it and she was fascinated by him. She would love to talk to him and she loved to learn from him. She almost wished that her mother would meet up with him again and fall in love with him since he seemed like a better father figure than Ron. Ron was a wonderful man to her. He spoiled her with everything she could ever ask for and he was never too tired or too busy to play a game or read a story to her. However, she wasn't able to talk about things as easily with him as she was with Professor Malfoy. She started to realize that Draco might actually be her father. He had the same shade of blonde that she had and he had been in Slytherin during the time Hermione was in school. If he was her father, why was no one doing anything about it, she thought to herself. So, she had decided to take action and had invited her mother to come and watch a Quidditch game, with Harry and Ginny, since their son James had made the Gryffindor team. Hermione had sent a reply saying that she would be glad to come and visit and would see her daughter that Saturday morning. Jane was so excited that instead of grading the papers that she was supposed to be, she grinned widely up at her potions teacher.

"Guess what?" Jane asked Draco bouncing up and down in the chair that she was seated in.

"What? Wait, don't tell me. You scored another perfect score in Transfiguration today and you're moving up to second year," he asked her, almost sarcastically but hoping that it was true.

"I wish. But, no. You know that this weekend is the first Quidditch match. You know, Gryffindor versus Huffleupuff? Well, Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny are coming. And guess what? They're bringing someone along." She paused hoping he would guess who it was. When he sat there, waiting for the answer, she finally blurted out, "My mum is coming too! Isn't that cool? Maybe you guys can meet up again and talk about the good old days." Her dark brown eyes were sparkling in the moonlight and she almost seemed to have a mischievous look upon her baby doll face.

"That is exciting. Maybe I will have a chat with your mother and your Uncle Harry. I haven't seen them in many, many long years. I think it would be nice to see them, after all this time. You're going to have to introduce me, since I probably won't recognize her. After all, the last time I saw her on the last day of school. That was a very long time ago and so I doubt I will know what she looks like now," Draco was staring off into space, a little ways away from Jane, the memories of the night of the Last Battle and the rest of the end of his schooling days, flooding back to his brain. He tried to push them away as Jane jumped out of the chair she had previously occupied and headed for the door.

"Time's up, professor. Oh, she'll be here early on Saturday morning, so I'll bring her up here after breakfast so you two can chat for a few hours before the game," she called as she flew out the door before Draco could reply telling her that it would not be necessary but she was already gone. Draco stood still staring at the empty doorway, not believing that he was finally going to get some answers to the many questions that had been filling his head for the past few weeks.

That Saturday morning, Draco woke up and looked up at the clock. It was seven o'clock and Draco was sure that Jane was bringing Hermione around soon. They had had one more detention after that night and Jane refused to talk to Draco about Saturday. She said that she wanted to make it a surprise for her mother and that she thought it would be nice. Draco had given up on trying to convince her that it might not be a good idea. She took after her mother in her stubbornness.

Draco quickly took a hot shower, letting the water calm his nerves. He had had a knot in his stomach all night, wondering what it would be like to see Hermione again, after all those years. He also was wondering what it would be like for someone to actually say aloud that he truly was the father of sweet Jane Granger. He was so worried that something would go wrong and that maybe he had been worried for nothing and that he really wasn't the father. He easily pushed that thought aside, knowing that there was no else but him who could fit the description of this girl's father. After the shower, he changed into green and silver wizarding robes, proudly supporting his house and looking his best for Hermione.

He was sitting at his desk, trying to grade papers but looking out the window when there was a knock on his door. He took a deep breath and told whoever it was outside to come in.

When Hermione entered the room, Draco's jaw practically dropped to the floor. She had grown up and matured so much. Her once bushy, brown hair was now pin straight and was a shiny, dark brown that was on the borderline of black. Her figure had completely filled out in all the places that it should. She had a beautiful hourglass figure, which the long black skirt seemed to complement. She wore a tight long sleeved red sweater that complemented her chest. Her eyes are what swept Draco away. They were exactly like her daughter's and they were what made Draco go weak at the knees. He had never felt like this before, or at least not that he could remember. He was overwhelmed by her beauty and everything that he been thinking about saying flew straight out the window. Jane was the first one to speak.

"Hello, professor. This is my mum, Hermione. Mum, this is Professor Malfoy," at which Hermione blushed profusely. She hadn't heard that name in years. She had tried not to think about him too much. It would just cause her pain. She had had a hunch that was who her daughter wanted her to meet. She had sent a letter saying how she was getting along really well with one of her professors and Hermione assumed that it would be Draco, considering he was her father, even though he didn't know that. Hermione had been wondering how he knew that she was his daughter. It was obvious to her that her features might have given off some hints but she didn't think Draco would believe he was the father since he had no memories of it. Or did he? Hermione had also been wondering if what they had done might have been affected some way and now he remembered. She didn't know what she would do if he did remember. She had started to become much more curious after she received letters from him. She refused to reply since she had no idea how he would take it all.

"Hello, Ms. Granger," Draco offered his hand to Hermione, despite the fact that he felt like he would fall over from the slightest touch by the beautiful woman standing before him.

"Hello, Professor Malfoy," Hermione shook his hand and when both their hands touched, a spark was sent through both their bodies, making both of them feel something they hadn't felt since their final year of schooling. They both stood there, not taking their eyes off each other. Jane looked from one adult to the other and knew that something was happening and that she should probably leave them alone.

"Well, I'm going to go see if James needs anything before his first big game. Good day, professor. Mum, I'll see you in the stands with Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry later," she called as she slowly backed out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Hermione didn't seem to notice her daughter. She only had eyes for the handsome man that she once loved standing before her. Draco, after having taken in the sight before him, realized that it might seem odd to be staring at her for so long. He finally broke eye contact.

"So, how are you," he asked, avoiding looking her in the eyes again.

"I'm fine. How are you?"

"I'm good."

They stood there for a while longer, looking everywhere but at each other. Draco finally broke the silence once more.

"Doesn't it feel weird to be back here, after all those years and times spent here? This place is full of old memories," he asked casually, pretending to be more interested in the students passing by the window than the conversation he was having with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

Hermione eyed him suspiciously. Does he know something, she thought. Of course not, we made sure that there was no way he could ever figure out. "Yes, this does bring back so many memories. The good times and the bad. All of those adventures and the excitement and the grief. Just walking inside those two grand doors at the entrance brings back a flood of memories and emotions. This school was my life. I miss it so much," she sighed.

Draco looked up to notice her looking off, apparently getting lost in memories. Draco watched her for some time, trying to see if it would trigger any memory of being with her that he hadn't already had. There were no memories that came to mind but there was something that made him feel like that wasn't the truth. That there really was something between them but he just didn't remember. Plus, he wanted to find out if and how he was the father of Jane Granger.

"Yeah, this place is full of memories. I don't have a lot of good memories, though. Especially our last year here. I feel like something's missing that I just don't remember. Oh, well. I've been meaning to tell you that your daughter is extraordinary. She's the brightest witch of her class, no doubt taking after you. She also, however, has been having a little bit of a discipline problem. I don't mean to alarm you, though. It's not really all that bad. She just gets teased occasionally and so she uses her intelligence to play tricks on the other students. They're perfectly harmless, don't worry. She is a mini you, always knowing the answer to every question and always reading a book," Draco noticed a smile of pride creep across Hermione's face. He noticed her dark brown eyes light up at the mention of her daughter. There was, however, a trace of sadness on Hermione's face. As soon as Draco noticed it, though, it immediately disappeared.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that she is doing so well. I'll be sure to have a chat with her about the trickery, don't you worry. So, how's it been teaching here? Does it feel strange to be teaching at Hogwarts," she asked trying to avoid the subject of her daughter with Draco.

"The pranks are harmless. They are mostly spells that aren't taught until next year but believe me, they are harmless. Yeah, I guess it does feel weird teaching here, especially since Snape was the last person to teach this position and he taught us," Draco was getting lost in thought since Snape had been a good help for Draco when Draco decided to betray Voldemort. When Voldemort found out, Snape had died. It always made Draco feel angrier with Voldemort, even though he was already dead. Draco shook it off and tried to get back to the conversation with Hermione.

"Did I mention to you that Jane is a pleasure in class? She is wonderful. I don't mean to sound rude, but, do you happen to have any other children that would be as wonderful to teach," Draco asked avoiding Hermione's curious eyes.

"No, it's just me and Jane. Excuse me but I think Harry and Ron are probably wondering where I am."

"You still let them boss you around," Draco teased and caught Hermione's eye. She realized he was joking and she smiled back.

"No, but I really should get back. The match is going to start soon and Harry isn't going to want me to miss it," Hermione smiled and turned to leave. Draco watched her leave. She was beautiful and he realized that he wanted to be with her, no matter what happened in the past.

**Chp. 5: Harry, Ron and Ginny**

After Hermione left Draco's office, she walked briskly down to the Quidditch pitch to meet up with Harry, Ginny and her boyfriend, Ron. She was so confused. Seeing Draco had brought out all those feelings that she used to have for him that had been locked away for eleven years. She liked Ron, hell, she loved Ron, but just not even close to how much she loved Draco. Seeing him and hearing him talk about her, their, daughter made Hermione almost burst out into tears. There was no way that he could know about Jane being his daughter. They had made sure that the memories would never be able to spring free. The only way he might've guessed is the obvious way. The fact that Jane was the spitting female image of Draco. She had the most beautiful blonde hair and the most beautifully ivory colored skin in all of England. It was obvious where the looks came from. However, since he had no memories of conceiving that child, he shouldn't think that it was his. Hermione was very confused. There was absolutely no logical way that he could've discovered that he was the father of Jane. Part of her wanted him to find out but there was another part that told her that it was too late to tell him the truth and that it should just be left alone. The only people who could help her clean up the mess in her brain were her best friends Harry, Ginny and Ron. They would know what to do.

When she arrived in the visitor's section of the Quidditch pitch, she waved to Harry and Ginny and Ron.

"Hey Hermione! I've been looking all over for you. Where have you been," Ron asked giving Hermione a peck on the lips before letting her answer.

"Hi Ron! Sorry, I went to see Jane and she brought me to visit someone. It was quite unexpected." Ron eyed her suspiciously wondering who she went to visit.

"Who did you visit," Ron asked with his brows furrowed, already guessing the answer.

"Well, um, you see I didn't know about it before. Jane just dragged me there and I had no idea where we were going but I had a chat with Draco Malfoy." At this Harry, Ginny and Ron all turned their full attention to Hermione, who was avoiding meeting any of their eyes.

"Malfoy? Well, uh, how…how is he," Harry stuttered, not knowing how Hermione felt about seeing Draco for the first time in eleven years. He and Ginny knew that someday they would meet again and the truth would need to be revealed. The secrets of their seventh year couldn't be kept hidden forever.

"He's okay. He seemed rather odd, though. Like…like he knew something. You know, something about us and Jane," Hermione looked up to see Harry's worried expression on his face. His emerald green eyes were looking sharply into Hermione's. He wanted to know how Draco found out.

"Wait, you mean he figured out that he's the father and now he knows all about your seventh year together," Harry asked, worriedly. He had always had a gut feeling that if and when Draco found out about Jane, he would blow everything out of proportion and Hermione and Jane could be in danger. He knew that Draco wasn't a killer but he was capable of torture. Harry shuttered at the thought. That was a Draco he had hoped had been left in the past and would never be brought back to life.

Ginny, watching their conversation intently, interrupted. She knew that Harry had never truly approved of them being together and had not been as depressed at learning they were no longer going to be together as he should've been. Ginny on the other hand, had been told every intimate detail of their relationship and realized they had a strong bond of friendship and even stronger bond of love. They were soul mates. Ginny didn't want Harry to interrogate Hermione any further.

"Harry, I think for one, it's obvious for Draco to figure out he's the father. I mean, look at Jane. She is the spitting image of him, other than she's a girl. They have the same blonde hair, the same pale, skin tone and the same beautifully shaped body. She even has his wit and cleverness. The only thing that's not Malfoy-like is her eyes. And Harry, I also believe that Draco should know what happened during your seventh year. It's been eleven years. He ought to know that he has a daughter and a soul mate."

Hermione still wasn't convinced. Harry just shrugged, knowing that he couldn't argue with Ginny, for she was too stubborn for even Harry to match.

"But, what if it's too late? What if he's angry that I kept it from him for so long? Besides, he might have a girlfriend or a fiancé or something. And I have Ron," Hermione gave Ron a big hug but, for the hundredth time, felt no spark. She had searched for so long to find that spark between her and Ron but it was never there like it had been for her and Draco. She missed that feeling of pure bliss that she had only felt when she had been with Draco.

Ron broke off from the hug and looked into Hermione's deep eyes. "I love you, Hermione. You know that. Malfoy was part of your past. Everyone has a past. But, I'm part of your present and hopefully, your future." Hermione smiled up at Ron but she still was unsure of her situation.

Ginny cleared her throat, interrupting Ron and Hermione's gaze. "I think that Hermione ought to tell Draco about Jane, no matter how she feels about him and Ron. Hermione, listen, how would you feel if you had been the one that had the memories tampered with? You would want to know the truth someday, wouldn't you? Draco needs to know that he's a father. You can work on feelings later but you owe him at least that much."

Hermione stood in Ron's arms silent, listening to the students yell and cheer as the players rushed out onto the field, mounted on their brooms. Hermione realized what she was going to do and it involved the one person in her life that she loved with everything she owned and she knew returned the love.

"You guys, I think I know what I'm going to do. But, for now, let's watch James kick some Hufflepuff ass," she yelled as James flew by and waved to his mother and father. He flew past the Slytherin stand, where a certain young blonde haired girl was watching him intently. That young girl was who Hermione was going to have help her decide what to do about Draco.

Later on that day, after Gryffindor beat Hufflepuff by a whopping three hundred and thirty points, Hermione was leading her daughter through the corridors of her old school and into an empty classroom. Hermione placed very intricate locking and soundproofing spells over the room. When that was complete, she sat across from her daughter, bracing for the reaction of her daughter.

"Mum, what's going on? Is everything okay," she asked, feeling anxious and concerned at the same time. It must be very important, since her mother had placed such complicated spells around the room.

"Everything is fine, Jane. I just…I just think you should know who your father is. You're old enough now, and I think that you should know." Hermione took a deep breath. "Jane, dear, your father is Draco, I mean, Professor Malfoy." Hermione watched her daughter's face for some sort of reaction. However, the reaction she received was not one she expected. Jane smiled and laughed.

"Mum, do you honestly think I didn't know that? The second I walked into this building and saw him sitting up at the staff table, I knew. It's so obvious, the blonde hair, the pale skin, I mean, c'mon! I've known for quite awhile but I never told you since I figured you wouldn't want to talk about it. I mean, it's obvious there's a reason neither one of you told me. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Why else do you think I brought you to see him this morning? So you two could work out whatever you needed to work out." Jane just sat across from her mother and smiled. Hermione, on the other hand, sat there absolutely stunned. She knew her daughter was bright, but this was incredible. It took her awhile to register that her daughter had accepted Draco and that she seemed to like him.

"So, you like Professor Malfoy? Is he kind to you," Hermione asked, already guessing at her daughter's answer as she watched Jane's face light up.

"Oh, yes, he's wonderful. I'm sure he told you about the detentions but during my detentions, we would talk about anything and everything. He's a really good listener, mum."

"Is he as good as Ron?" Once again, Hermione braced herself for the answer.

"Mum, Ron's sweet and will do anything for me and you. But, Malfoy will do more and he seems to understand me more than Ron. I'm sorry mum, but I think I connect with him more than I do with Ron." Hermione seemed stunned at the answer, but she had already somewhat guessed that's what her daughter would say.

Jane was watching her mother, who was acting very strangely. She wondered why she was hearing about this now and if the meeting with Draco earlier actually wasn't a good idea.

"Mum, can I ask you something? Why did you and dad split up in the first place? And when? I don't even remember being with him and he's not in any baby pictures. What happened?"

Hermione looked her daughter in the eyes. She had the same eyes as Hermione. They were a dark brown and if any boy stared at them for too long, they would drown in their beauty.

"Jane, honey, I don't think now is the time for that. I'll tell you, someday, I promise. Just not today. Just know that I love you and so does Draco, even if he doesn't come out and say it. I'll explain it to you some other time. I just thought you should know that he's your father before the year goes by any longer and questions arise. I'm going back home soon and I wanted to talk to you before I left. I love you, and I'll see you later." Hermione got up and lifted the spells off the room. She hadn't realized how late it was until she happened to glance out the window and notice the lanterns were all lit outside and the sun was no longer visible. She needed to talk to Draco before she left.

Jane got up and gave her mother a large hug and kissed her cheek before heading out of the room to find James and congratulate him on winning the game today. She said goodbye to her mother and left.

Hermione, after saying goodbye to Jane, didn't head toward the Hogwarts exit, but instead headed in the direction of the dungeons to talk to the father of her child and to tell him the truth about Jane and about their seventh year of Hogwarts.

**Chp. 6: More Questions and More Answers**

Hermione walked along the empty hallways, feeling a chill in her bones. She was so nervous about Draco's reaction. She didn't know what to expect. She hoped that he wouldn't be too angry with her and that he would understand why they did what they did. When Hermione had seen Jane in the stands at the game, she had started to form a plan in her mind. She was going to tell Jane about Draco and indirectly ask her what she thought of him. She didn't think that Jane and Draco were that close but after talking to her daughter, she realized that they were and they deserved to spend time together.

She knocked on the door lightly and heard a voice from within say that it was okay for her to enter. When she opened the door slowly, Draco looked up from his work and stared at Hermione, not taking his eyes off of her.

"Hey, how was the match," he casually asked her, not really sure as to why she was there again.

"It was fantastic. Gryffindor won, like always." She paused a moment before breaking the tension that was in the air. "I came here because I need to tell you something very important. Something that will have a large impact on your life." Hermione once again locked the door and put all different kinds of soundproof spells around the room so there wouldn't be any interruptions or eavesdroppers.

"My, this must be serious for Ms. Hermione Granger to be placing spells on my room and locking me in. What is going on," Draco asked, utterly bewildered as to what Hermione was doing. What was so important that she couldn't have told me this morning, he thought.

"Draco, you might want to sit down for this." He complied. "Well, I think I will start off by saying, what do you remember about your seventh year at Hogwarts?"

"Well, I remember being Head Boy and you being Head Girl. I remember attending classes and then there's the battle." He eyed her suspiciously, wondering what was going on.

"So, you don't remember anything important that happened?" Draco gave Hermione a very puzzled look. She was acting very odd. How did she know that his seventh year of schooling was a blur to him? Did it have something to do with that Quidditch memory?

"No, I don't. How do you know that I can't remember much? Does it have anything to do with the fact that there have been rumors, yes I heard them and it's bloody obvious, about Jane looking a lot like me?"

Hermione looked him straight into the deep, grey eyes of the man she truly loved. She realized she might end up breaking her own heart, depending on how he took all the information. She took a deep breath before diving into the long explanation as to what exactly happened that seventh year at Hogwarts.

"Don't interrupt me and I will answer all your questions either in my story or afterward," Hermione sighed. "It all started when we first started school. We had to share a common room, since we were the Heads of the Houses. At first, all we did was fight and bicker. We couldn't be in the same room for more than a minute before one of us would say something horrible to the other. However, as the months passed, the hatred started to die down since we realized that our fighting was affecting our everyday lives. Harry and Ron noticed how bitter I was becoming and both of our grades suffered, deeply. We were both so wrapped up in fighting each other. One weekend, right before Christmas, Ginny locked the door to the common room and we were stuck together the entire weekend. There was nothing better to do and we knew that we weren't getting out until we were at least civil to one another and so, we shared personal stories, such as family histories and any other personal stories we had. We realized that underneath the thin, outer layer of hate, there was a deep layer of friendship and kindness. We changed. Over Christmas break, since we both had to stay to watch the students not going home, we became really good friends. Unfortunately, we had to keep it a large secret since everyone in the school would be upset that a Slytherin and a Gryffindor had turned the tables and were friends. Since we both shared our secret friendship, it slowly turned into a wonderful relationship." At this, Draco smirked slightly but Hermione glared at him and he stopped and she returned to her story. Hermione did not like being interrupted.

"One day when we were snogging, Harry and Ron came in and found us and the secret was out. We had fallen in love so deeply that at first, it didn't matter. However, after you showed Harry that you were no longer a supporter of Voldemort and that you would fight the Good side, we realized that you played a valuable role in the War. I don't know if you remember this but your father had hoped and dreamed that you would become a Death Eater and follow in his footsteps and if you didn't, you would have to pay a large penalty of death. So, at the end of the school year, I decided that we couldn't continue being together. It was too dangerous for your safety, as well as my own. You had to attend Death Eater meetings, as Voldemort was gathering a large army and it was too dangerous for him to discover that you had a love in your life. It would've been too dangerous for both of us. So, I decided to use a special spell, one that I found in the restricted section of the library, and I hid your memories of us together so that the only thing you would remember was just having a normal, boring year at Hogwarts. After that, you had no memory of us ever being together and I had to let you go," Hermione paused, taking in breaths after having talked so much. She could feel the tears coming but refused to let them fall.

Draco just sat in his leather chair, staring at the fire in the fireplace in his office. He had no idea what to say. Is this really true, he thought. He realized that he was correct in his assumption, that he and Hermione had a past. He was about to ask her if Jane had anything to do with their past when Hermione spoke, catching his eye and looking very nervous.

"Draco, there's one more thing." Hermione looked directly into his eyes, not sure how he would take the final piece of information. "Draco, I don't know if you noticed but my daughter, Jane, has some similarities to you. She has stunning blonde hair, skin that is beautifully carved, and, no offense, but a certain knack for bullying. The reason for this is because…you're her father." Draco froze even though he already guessed at that. It was one thing thinking it and quite another for someone to tell you outright.

"Jane is really my daughter. I…," he started but Hermione interrupted him.

"You know how I told you I hid your memories of us, the night before I did, she was conceived. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner but I didn't know how you would react."

Draco just sat there silent, once again looking into the fire. He did not know what to say. He was proud and relieved to finally learn that he had a daughter, and a brilliant one at that. However, he felt a little outraged at the fact that he hadn't known for so long.

"Hermione, I know that Jane looks like me and she did mention once that you mentioned her father was Head Boy with you. I think it was almost too obvious to figure that piece of information out. But why the hell did you keep me from her for so long? Why?"

Hermione could feel the tears begging to spring free from her eyes but she was fighting to not breakdown and cry.

"Draco, I know this is a lot to take in. Like I said, I'm really sorry about keeping it from you for so long but didn't know how you would react. I was scared." Hermione felt that she could no longer hold the tears in. They came streaming down her cheeks. Draco looked up and noticed her crying and he tried to calm her down but he didn't know how. So, he just stood next to her, with his hand tracing up and down her arm until she calmed down. He then sat back down in his leather chair wondering if what he had just done might not have been the smartest way to calm her down. If they did have such a strong past together, he wanted to find out and then decided for himself if he wanted to be with her.

Hermione, now calmer than before, was watching Draco. When he had been touching her arm, she felt the spark that she hadn't felt for so long. It occurred to her that there just might be a way for him to gain all those old memories back. "Draco," she spoke quietly. "I think I might have a way to help you. If I could find a counterspell to bring back those memories that had been hidden, would you do it?" Hermione was hoping that he would say yes.

Draco almost shot from his chair to the ceiling at hearing that. "You mean…there is a way for me to gain all those memories back?"

"Well, I'm not positive but there must be someway to get them back. Do you think you would do it?"

Draco thought for a moment. He wanted those memories to help clear a lot of questions that were going on in his brain. He would do anything to gain them all back. However, he was unsure as to how far he was willing to go to get them back. He was also unsure of what would happen between himself and Hermione once all the memories were back. If the memories were as passionate as she hinted at, they couldn't ignore their feelings for one another. But, Draco figured they could work on that later and he wanted the memories more than anything else in the world, except for, maybe, Hermione.

"Yes, I will. But, under two conditions. One, you answer all the questions that I have now. And two, if Jane really is my daughter, I want to be able to spend time with her. What do you say?"

He stuck out his soft hand for her to shake and Hermione nodded her head and took his hand in hers. The moment their skin touched, they both felt such an intense spark yet again that they took a step back from each other. Hermione blushed and looked away but agreed to Draco's conditions.

"Okay, here's what I will do and then you can ask me any questions that you want. I will go to the Hogwarts library when I come here to visit on weekends, as I'm sure I will be doing as James performs in multiple Qudditch matches, I'll try and find the book that I found that spell in and try to find a spell to bring the memories back. Each weekend, I will tell you about my progress and I want to hear about Jane and how she's doing in school and hopefully, how she has not been detention any longer. But for now, fire your questions at me. You deserve to know everything and again, I'm sorry for keeping this from you for so long." Hermione sat herself down in the chair across from Draco on the other side of his desk.

Draco stood up and watched Hermione sigh with relief at finally taking that burden off her shoulders after carrying it around for eleven years. Draco's head was spinning from all the information he had just gained but he was glad that she was allowing him to ask questions since his brain was full of them.

"Well, I guess I will ask again, since you never really answered it before when I asked you, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Again, mostly because I was afraid as to how you would react. I didn't think you would believe me, either. You had never met Jane and had no memory of anything and it would sound absurd. But, I told you now because I'm sure, especially after our chat earlier today, that you had questions about her and why she seemed to resemble you more than anyone else in the world."

Draco nodded, understanding. He knew that he most likely wouldn't have believed her if she had told him before this year. He would've thought she had completely lost her mind.

"I understand. And you're right. I probably wouldn't have believed you. Another question, who else knows about, my, uh, condition? Does Jane?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, Jane doesn't know that you have no memory of us being together or of her. However, she does know that you are her father. I told her earlier, but, I don't think that she needed to be told since she told me that she had figured it out long ago.

Draco laughed. "She is just like you, Hermione. She is too smart for her own good." Hermione smiled lightly but then bit her lip. "Also, to answer the first part of your question, um, I'm sorry but I think almost everyone knows that you don't know about us. When we were discovered, it was the gossip of the century. The fact that a pureblood, and of all the purebloods, a Malfoy, had fallen deep in love with a muggleborn, me, was just too big for the school not to know. It was really, really big and everyone, even the teachers knew about us. When you started acting differently around me, people at first thought it was an act and it was your way to get over our breakup but then people realized something drastic had happened. Of course, they had no clue what really happened but there were many rumors." Draco stared off into space. He was so surprised that he had been part of the juiciest gossip at Hogwarts, probably in history. No one had ever broken the status quo and they did and yet, he couldn't remember a thing, no matter how hard he tried. He was also surprised that no one had ever mentioned it before.

"Any other questions," she asked, watching him from her slumped position in the leather chair.

"Just one." He took a deep breath, knowing either if he asked this question that she would either be really upset with him or happy with him. He decided he would chance the risk. "Hermione, if I do get all these memories back, what's going to happen between us? If all these memories that come back are as passionate as you make them sound, what then? I will just have to remember the way we were but we can never go back to it?"

Hermione stared at the fire intently. That was one question she had hoped that he would not ask, for she did not have an answer. She was unsure herself. Those feelings for Draco had been harbored up inside of her for eleven years and she needed to let them loose soon or else she felt like she might explode. However, she didn't want to hurt Ron, nor did she want to ruin her friendship with Harry again. Her head was spinning just as much as Draco's.

"I…I didn't really think about that. I don't know what we would do. I guess I really can't answer that question."

Draco moved to the other side of the desk where Hermione sat. He put his finger under her chin and pulled her face toward his, so their eyes met and were locked on one another.

"Hermione, I need a serious answer. If I gain these memories back, along with all those old feelings, what will you do? You can't ignore your feelings and nor can I."

Hermione stared into his crystal blue eyes that were looking at hers so hard. "I…I don't know." She rose from the chair and pulled away from him. She quickly hurried out of the room, jogging down the old corridors to the entrance to head back to home to clear her head. She left Draco standing at the desk with his hand in midair, not moving and wondering if he had made the right decision by allowing her to bring back all those joyous memories back. He felt there was no point anymore. Not if she wasn't going to do anything about their feelings for each other. Well, he thought. I will just have to change her mind and bring back some of her own memories of how we used to be together.

**Chp. 7: Anger and Fear**

Hermione had returned to Hogwarts, two weeks later, to search the library for the mysterious book that she used. She had no clue what book it was, seeing that it was twelve years ago. The library had been updated a lot since then and so there was a lot to sift through. Now that she was older, and had persuaded Madame Pince to allow her, she entered the restricted section without Harry's invisibility cloak. She was trying to avoid Draco at all costs. She had been thinking hard about what he asked of her. She had no idea how she would be able to act around Draco, once the memories came back. She could already tell the feelings were still there, for both of them. She loved Draco with all her heart but she now loved Ron. Of course, Ron could never ever take the place of Draco. Hermione had never been more confused in her life. She always knew exactly what to do. This was the first time she really had no idea what to do.

After having spent four hours straight, Hermione decided to put all the books back and come back and try again next weekend. She had searched to no avail. The book she was searching for was nowhere to be found. She decided to go wait for Jane, who had told her that she would visit her mother in the library around four. It was three-thirty. Hermione left the restricted section and sat at a desk, reading her favorite book, "Hogwarts: A History" and waited for her daughter to arrive.

"Bye Hermione," Ron called after her as she apparated to Hogsmeade, to visit her daughter at Hogwarts. Or so she told Ron. Hermione hadn't told Ron what she was doing with Draco. She wasn't sure how he would take it and she wasn't even sure how she would handle it. Hermione felt she needed more time before she told anyone what she was up to.

Ron had noticed that after Hermione had met with Draco, she had been unusually quiet and she seemed to be thinking or daydreaming a lot more. Ron was concerned. He loved Hermione with all his heart. He didn't want to loose her. He had already lost her once, to Draco during their seventh year. Ron thought that he wouldn't be able to survive. He hated Draco and, on several occasions, tried to curse him. That had just made Hermione angry at him so Ron decided not to intervene again. He was still full of rage at the man that stole Hermione away from him. When Hermione told him that Draco's memory would be blurred so that he wouldn't remember ever being with Hermione, Ron figured it would be the perfect time to help Hermione and show her the man he truly was. He comforted her and was always there when she needed him. That was how it started. When Hermione realized she was pregnant, Ron had been secretly angry but never showed that to Hermione. He tried to help her through it as much as possible. He stayed up with her when she was sick at night and he was always there to hold her hand. After Jane was born, Ron and Hermione started living together and they were officially a couple. Ron had never popped the question, figuring that they were as close to being married as they needed to be. They didn't need a ceremony to prove that they loved each other. Or so Ron thought. Hermione, on the other hand, was starting to feel different about that. However, Ron had no idea that she didn't feel that way. And he never wanted her to feel that way.

Ron decided that while Hermione was visiting Jane, he would talk to his best mate, Harry. They told each other everything and had each other's backs.

"Hey, how are you," Harry asked Ron when Ron had knocked on the door to the house next to his and Hermione's.

"Hey, I'm okay. I've been better though," Ron sighed as he slumped into one of the chairs in the living room.

"Uncle Ron," a young red headed girl about the age of six came running into the room and jumped onto Ron's lap.

"Hi there, Molly! I thought you were going to Grandma Molly's house today. You'll have lots of fun there," Ron playfully bounced the young girl on his knee.

"Yeah, mum's getting ready. She says she'll be down in a minute."

"Tell Grandma and Grandpa that we both say hi. Be good and try not to light anything on fire this time, sweetie," Harry reached down and scooped up his daughter from Ron's lap. He tickled her and she started laughing while Ginny descended the stairs into the living room.

"Alright Harry, that's enough. Molly dear, are you all set?" Molly nodded her head as Harry set her down on the ground. "Good. Now, go into the den and I'll be right there," Ginny told her daughter.

Molly skipped into the kitchen to head to the den. "Ron, what brings you here," Ginny asked her brother. "Where's Hermione?"

"She's at Hogwarts, visiting Jane. I'm here because I need to talk to Harry about something. Tell mum and dad that Hermione and I say hi and that we will be there for the Halloween party."

Ginny nodded and gave her brother and husband brief hugs before rushing through the kitchen door to take her daughter to the Burrow via Floo Powder.

Once she left, Harry offered Ron some glasses of Butterbeer.

"Thanks mate. Anyway, I'm here because I'm concerned about Hermione. Ever since she talked to Malfoy she hasn't been herself. She's been really quiet lately and whenever I try and talk to her she says she's busy thinking about stuff. I don't know what's going on. I love her, Harry. I don't want to lose her again." Ron turned his head toward a shelf of photos. There was a photo on the shelf of Ron and Hermione holding Jane when she was just an infant. It brought a small smile to Ron's face.

Harry watched his best friend for a while. Hermione and Ron were his best friends and the thing he hated most was when he had to choose between the two of them. It hadn't happened for awhile but he figured it was bound to happen when Draco discovered the truth. That was one of the reasons he had wanted to keep Hermione from telling Malfoy about what really happened their seventh year. He didn't want to have to choose between being best friends with Ron or Hermione. He never fully trusted Draco but Hermione had complete faith in him. He still couldn't understand why. Only Harry knew that Draco had never fully changed. If provoked, Draco could still be the Malfoy that he always was. Harry had seen Draco do something horrible the night of the Last Battle. He never told any of the others. Harry had been happy that Hermione had broken up with Draco and that she was with Ron. It made things easier between them and it decreased Harry's fear that Draco would return to his old school, Malfoy tactics.

"Ron," Harry started quietly. "I know that you love her. I don't like her with Draco anymore than you do, though for different reasons. I never told you guys this because I didn't want Hermione to get upset but the night of the Last Battle, you know, the night after Hermione ended it with Malfoy, I saw him, Bellatrix LeStrange and his own father fighting in the woods. Lucius and Bellatrix were taunting him about falling in love with a muggleborn and how he would pay dearly to the Dark Lord. Lucius was full of anger that his own son had betrayed him in such an evil way. Of course, Draco had no recollection of ever being with Hermione and so he had no clue what they were talking about. I don't know if Hermione ever told you but she told me that even though the spell she used tampered with his memories, it wouldn't have any effects on his feelings toward her. He would still feel love for her even though he wouldn't understand why.

"That night, when his father and Bellatrix were trying to torture him, Malfoy shouted the Cruciatus curse and tortured them both until they were both driven completely insane. Draco stood there, watching them wriggle around in the grass, begging for death. But, as we all know, Draco is not a killer and so he left them there to die, since he couldn't do it himself. I chased after Draco, to try and ask what the hell he was doing, using an Unforgivable when Draco tried to attack me. He was just so angry at everyone and everything. I decided to Obliviate the part of his memory where he tortured his father and LeStrange. I knew that if Hermione found out that he had done such a thing, it would kill her. I never told anyone since I never wanted Hermione to find out since I never wanted to see her hurt.

"That's why I don't want her going back to Malfoy. Even though they fell madly in love, he still has Malfoy blood in him. He still can be very dangerous if he is provoked. I won't allow that to happen to Hermione."

Harry and Ron just sat together in the living room in silence. Ron was shocked that his best friend had never told him any of this before and he was shocked that Draco still did seem to have a bit of Malfoy in him.

"I'm definitely not going to allow Hermione to go back to Malfoy. Not after hearing that he could potentially hurt her," Ron pushed himself out of the chair and was stomping toward the door when the kitchen door slammed open.

"Ron! You can not go and tell Hermione about this. Did you not just hear what Harry said? He didn't tell anyone since he didn't want Hermione to get hurt. She loves Draco, more than you know. You have no idea how much she used to tell me. She still loves him, today. I can see it in her eyes. The day she went to visit him, she may have been confused but there was a glint in her eyes that I hadn't seen there since your seventh year at Hogwarts. I'm sorry Ron, I really am. They were made for each other.

"During your seventh year at school, Draco had no reason to live. His father was trying to turn him into something he wasn't, a murderer. He had no friends, everyone hated him since everyone knew he was going to become a Death Eater. He was miserable until Hermione came along. Once they started becoming civilized, Hermione was a savior for Draco. She helped him to be who he really was and helped him to not be a lost soul. Hermione, in turn, received someone who was willing to do anything for her. He was someone that could help her to become an even better saint than she already was. The day that Draco's memories were hidden was the day they both sacrificed their happiness for the rest of the wizarding world. They were meant to be together.

"And yes, Harry, Draco did torture Bellatrix and Lucius but that was because he had no idea what they talking about and because he had strong feelings of love for Hermione. He only did it because he loved Hermione and did it because he didn't want anything to happen to her. You both have nothing to be afraid of. Draco would never hurt Hermione. They both need each other."

Harry was astonished that his wife was telling him this. He had to think for a moment. He realized that he had needed Ginny to help him through the war. She was the only thing that kept Harry strong enough to vanquish the Dark Lord. Harry hated to be wrong.

"Damn it, Ginny! You're right. I guess if you put it like that, Draco would never hurt the only good thing in his life. I still don't completely trust him, though."

Ginny laughed lightly. "I'm always right. You should know that by now. And it's okay if you don't trust Draco. You don't have to completely trust him. Hermione is the only one that needs to do that and she already does completely trust him."

Ron watched them both kiss lightly before he rolled his eyes. He was also mad that neither of them were on his side.

"You are both nuts. I love Hermione and she loves me. She moved on from Draco. That's why she's confused. She doesn't want to hurt me."

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him. "Ron, don't be so arrogant. Yes, she does love you. But, she never moved on from Draco. _That's_ why she's confused. She still loves Draco but she doesn't know how to tell you without hurting you."

Ron's face turned bright red and he stomped out of his sister's and best friends' house to go home and talk to the woman who he loved and whom he wanted always to love him.

**Chp. 8: The Ring**

Hermione, after having talked to her daughter for hours in the school library, was headed toward Hogsmeade for a large glass of Butterbeer, and possibly even a shot of Firewhiskey. Jane had been a nice break to all the confusion around her. Jane stayed away from the subject of Draco and anything to do with the past. She talked all about James and Gabriella and how they always needed help on assignments and how she would always help them. She also talked about how she adored attending Hogwarts and how she felt so safe and connected to the world living there. Hermione was so proud of her daughter and was so excited to hear the tales of her so called nephew and niece. However, the day grew into evening and it was nearing six o' clock before Hermione bade her daughter farewell and good night and headed to Hogsmeade for a drink as the confusion began to seep back.

After Hermione ordered a rather large and strong Butterbeer from Aberforth at the Hog's Head, she seated herself in the near empty bar. There was only two other wizards, drinking quietly in the corner. They recognized Hermione and waved and she gave them a brief smile before turning away.

Then, the door opened and in walked a certain blonde haired man. He immediately noticed Hermione sitting alone and decided to sit with her. He pulled up a chair across the table from her.

"What on earth are you doing here, all alone, in an empty bar, on a Saturday night," he asked her grinning wickedly.

Hermione just looked up at him, grimacing. She was not in a good mood. She was tired from searching the library most of the day and she also had thoughts and emotions all jiggled up inside of her. "Draco, I'm trying to think."

Draco's grin just widened. "You are always thinking. Do you ever stop?"

Hermione, giving into his teasing mood, stuck her tongue out at him.

"Very mature, Hermione. Very mature," Draco laughed lightly.

"How is it possible that you still have this effect on me? You could always put me in a better mood, even when I was feeling the lowest of the low."

"I'm just special. I have that certain charm about me. I can make women go weak at the knees with just a flash of my smile or a flip of my hair." Hermione, from across the table, lightly slapped his shoulder.

"You haven't changed a bit. You're still your arrogant self. No wonder I broke up with you," Hermione teased while Draco's face fell. Hermione noticed the change and immediately looked at him with apologetic eyes. He understood but he still felt uncomfortable. There was a part of him, ever since he had learned that he had secret memories of him and Hermione, which were constantly keeping him awake, wondering what the hell those memories were.

"So, have you made any progress," Draco cleared his throat, changing the subject.

"No, I haven't, unfortunately. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I have no idea where the book that I used was and, quite honestly, I don't remember much about the book," she looked down at the table, not meeting him in the eyes.

Draco gave her a puzzled look. She was the biggest bookworm ever. How could she possibly not remember such an important book? "Hermione, what's wrong?" Draco was concerned that maybe she wouldn't find the book and he would never find out exactly what happened during their seventh year.

"Well, I…I don't remember much because I've spent the last twelve years trying to block all that out." She started again quickly at Draco's shocked look. "No, I don't mean us being together. I could never block those out. They are too precious. No, I mean the memories of messing with your memories. That was the worst part of my entire life. I hated the fact that I was willingly and voluntarily breaking us up. I didn't want to but I knew it was the right thing to do. After that night, I mentally blocked out any memory of me using that charm and any memory of the book. I guess I never realized that I would be trying to find the counterspell."

They both sat there for awhile, looking into each other's eyes, taking in the warmth. Draco didn't realize that it had been that hard for her. Although, somewhere, deep down inside of him, he felt that it had been hard for him as well, even though he had no memory of it.

"Draco," Hermione spoke quietly as she opened up her purse and pulled out a small trinket. "This belonged to you. However, on the night I hid your memories, you gave this to me and told me that you would always love me. That I would have something to remember you by when you could not remember. I've always kept it as a reminder."

She showed him the trinket, which turned out to be a ring. There was a large emerald with silver snakes intertwined all around the sparkling gem. "Oh my god," Draco gasped. He recognized the ring at once. His mother had given him the ring. She told him that it was a family heirloom and that, one day, when he found a woman that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, he could give her that ring. She handed him the ring and all of a sudden, Draco was no longer sitting at a table in the bar at the Hog's Head.

"Draco…I…I love you," came the whisper of a seventeen year old Hermione, pressed up against the wall in the corridor of Hogwarts with a seventeen year old Draco, whose face was just inches from Hermione's.

"I love you too, Hermione," Draco whispered back as the space between his lips and hers closed. The kiss they shared was passionate and loving, nothing like any of Draco's previous kisses with the other Slytherin sluts he made out with.

The present day Draco watched in awe as he realized he was witnessing one of his own memories as if he were in a pensive.

Hermione had beautifully long, brown and very wavy and curly hair that was now being entangled with Draco's fingers that were running through her silky hair. Draco had silvery blonde hair that was a bit shaggy but it made his face look more mysterious. Hermione's hands were also entangled in his hair.

The present day Draco continued to the watch the two until they broke apart, gasping for air. The teen Hermione and Draco stared at each other for awhile before either one of them spoke.

"That was the best kiss I've ever experienced in my life. You are an amazing kisser, 'Mione. If you're that good a kisser, I can't wait to know what you're like in bed," Draco teased as his eyes sparkled.

Hermione, for a moment, glared but then realized he was only joking started laughing. "That was a pretty good kiss. Much better than Ron's anyway. I actually felt…"

She stared at the ground and shuffled her feet but the teen Draco gently placed his finger under her chin and tilted her head so her eyes looked right back at his.

"'Mione, what did you feel? Was it like…like a spark or a connection or something," Draco asked, searching for the answer in her beautiful, deep brown eyes.

Hermione sighed from feeling his touch. He sent shivers down her spine. However, they were the good kind of shivers, the kind that you can't get enough of and the kind that keep you wanting more. She realized that the connection that she felt was real and it seemed he felt a connection as well.

"Yes, it was like, in that moment, everything felt perfect. Nothing else mattered. The only people in the world were you and me. I just felt so connected and the spark that I felt was amazing and..." she paused only to see Draco shake his head to make her continue. "…and I felt like I wanted more. I wanted everything from you. The adrenaline was unlike any I've ever experienced."

The teen Draco's eyes seemed delighted at the idea that he could give Hermione Granger, the bookworm muggleborn from Gryffindor, such pleasure. Of course, she gave him the exact same feeling. It was quite stunning but unbelievably amazing at the same time.

"Well, since you seemed to want more, maybe we shouldn't have stopped. Let's go back to our dorm rooms and we can finish what we started right now," Draco's eyes were lighting up, along with his entire face. He had been dreaming about making love to Hermione for quite sometime. They had really been getting along and they had both been falling deeper and deeper in love with one another. Tonight was their first kiss, and he hoped that maybe it might be more. However, he didn't want to scare her away, just when he finally had her.

"Draco, I know that you and I have been falling for each other lately and that we both just confessed our love to one another. But, I'm not ready for that yet. When I am, you will definitely be the first one to know. But for now, I think I enjoy kissing. Let's finish that!"

Before the teen Draco had time to say anything back, Hermione had pulled him closer to him and began kissing him with as much aggression and heat as before.

The present day Draco watched the entire scene, and as he did, he could feel all those feelings and hormones raging around inside him. He wanted to be that teen Draco and go back and experience. Even though he was watching himself, it felt like he was watching a home video. He was watching himself but it didn't feel like it was him.

All of a sudden, the two teens kissing and all of Hogwarts disappeared and Draco immediately appeared in the bar at Hog's Head to a woman calling his name and lightly tapping his face.

"Draco…Draco…Draco! Draco, answer me! Oh my God, Draco!" came the calls of the present day Hermione, trying to revive the unconscious Draco, slumped in the chair at the table at Hog's Head. The other two wizards in the bar and Aberforth, the bartender, had quickly rounded the table, trying to see what was wrong and see if there was anything they could do.

Hermione was about to ask Aberforth to send a patronus to the school and get Madame Pomfrey, when Draco came to and his eyes fluttered open and he seemed very confused.

"Draco, oh thank heavens you're okay!" She ran over to his chair and flew her arms around his neck. "I didn't know what happened, I was so worried!"

Draco blushed, realizing that the other wizards were watching, snickering to themselves as they watched to two hug. The two wizards who had been guests left the bar and Aberforth dragged himself to the back of the bar to finish cleaning up for the night.

"Draco, what happened," Hermione asked him as soon as she let go of him and sat back down in her chair. Draco had been confused when he resumed consciousness at the bar but when he saw the present day Hermione, the only thing he wanted to do was run up to her and snog the senses out of her! She gave him a rather intimate hug, which he greatly accepted. However, he was not completely satisfied. He knew that he had to tell her what he saw, though and see if he could understand why he suddenly got a memory back.

"I…I saw our first kiss together. I got a memory back. I don't know how but I did."

Hermione gasped. That was one very strong memory she had. Their first kiss. She remembered it like it was yesterday. She cherished that memory forever. She loved the feeling that she experienced that night and she never forgot it, either. She didn't really understand either.

"Draco, I don't understand. How did you…" Hermione trailed off as she looked down on the table and saw the ring that she had passed to Draco. Her eyes grew wide as she realized exactly what had happened and she remembered exactly what book she needed to find to gain the rest of Draco's memories back.

"I'm really sorry, Draco but I need to go. I just remembered something and I really need to get back to Hogwarts to do it and then I need to hurry back home before Ron gets worried." Hermione grabbed her coat and threw it on as Draco stood up, confused.

"Hermione, I can help you. What do you need to do? I'll come with you," he asked her as he helped her into her coat.

"No, it's okay. Besides, it might be easier to do alone. I'm sorry to run out like this but I must."

She was about to rush out the door when Draco looked back at the table and noticed the ring was still sitting on the table. "Hermione, wait! You forgot your ring!"

Hermione turned around to face him. "It's yours, keep it." She turned around and had her hand on the door handle when Draco spoke once more.

"'Mione, I want you to have it. I gave it to you and you must have been really special for me to give that to you." Hermione stopped dead in her tracks at hearing her nickname come out of his mouth. She hadn't heard him say it since the night Jane was conceived and even though everyone else called her "'Mione", it never sounded the same as when Draco spoke it.

Draco walked over to Hermione and placed the ring on her finger. "There, now you are all set." Draco locked eyes with Hermione for a brief moment before Hermione remembered that she needed to get to the library at Hogwarts before Madame Pince left and it was closed for the night. Hermione really didn't feel like making another trip back to the school the next day.

"Thank you. Now, I really need to go. Goodnight, Draco Malfoy."

Hermione opened the door and shut it quickly and hurried to the castle before Draco could bid her farewell.

But, after the door shut, he quietly bade her farewell even though she would not be able to hear him.

"Goodnight, 'Mione. I love you. I always have and I always will, no matter what happens."

**Chp. 9: "Memory Charms: All the Secrets You Need to Know"**

"Hermione, where the bloody hell have you been? I was just about to go get Harry and gather up some other Aurors and go searching for you. Do you have any idea what time it is? It's twelve thirty in the morning," Ron shouted as Hermione entered her brightly lit home.

After she had left Draco at the bar, she ran to the restricted section of the library and rushed to the section of the library where she remembered she had left the book on memories. She had hid it in her seventh year, when she put it back, behind two books on dark magic, hoping no one would discover the book or get rid of it, just in case. She found the book, shrunk it and hid it in her coat pocket, before rushing out of the library and to Hogsmeade to apparate home. She noticed that her small, two bedroom home had a light on in every window. She realized that Ron must have been worried sick about her since she hadn't even sent him a patronus telling him she was going to be home late. She had lost track of time while she was with Draco. He had a tendency to make her forget about everything else.

"I'm so sorry, Ron. I was talking to Jane and then I traveled to the library, where I lost track of the time. I'm so sorry." Hermione gave Ron a tight hug and a peck on the check to make up for making him so worried. She didn't want to lie to Ron since they had a very open relationship and it was bad enough that she was falling back in love with Draco. She didn't want to make it any more painful for him.

"You had me scared to death. I figured you were at Hogwarts but when it got to be around eleven, I realized something was up since all the students should be in bed, and you couldn't have possibly been talking to Jane and if you had gone somewhere else, you would've sent me a patronus informing me. Where have you been!?" Ron gave her a skeptical look as he crossed his arms and tapped his toes, impatiently.

"Now look, before you go and blow this all out of proportion, hear me out, please," she pleaded. Ron raised his eyebrows but let her continue. "Yes, to answer your unspoken question, I was with Draco. However, here's the story. After I was in the library, I had a huge headache and needed a drink to help get rid of it. I was planning on sending you a patronus charm, telling you I was going to be late but as I was getting a drink, he walked in and sat down and we discussed Jane for only about twenty minutes before I said goodnight and told him that I needed to get home to you." She figured bending the truth only slightly wouldn't hurt anyone.

"Alright. Just, please Hermione, don't do that again! You had me scared to death! I love you and I thought something horrible had happened to you. I care for you." Ron pulled her into a tight embrace and lightly stroked her hair. She gave him a lighthearted smile.

Hermione was happy that he was so concerned for her but on the other hand, it made her decision about what to do with Draco even harder. She loved both men, there was no doubt about that. However, she had loved Draco first and they had loved each other more. But, Hermione didn't want to hurt Ron, again. When she dated Draco the first time in their seventh year, Ron almost 'Avada Kedavraed' Draco on the spot. It took her and Ginny weeks before he finally cooled down. Hermione didn't know what would happen if Ron found out they were going out, once again. Ron loved her, it was very obvious. He was also very protective of her, more so than Harry, and he was already very protective. Ron sometimes smothered her but it was just the way he was brought up. His mother smothered all her children, and so, he did the same to Hermione.

"Hermione, it's really late. I'm going to head to bed. Are you coming," Ron asked as he grabbed Hermione's hand.

"I will be up in a little while. I need to do some more work for the office. I know, I read and work too much but it's what helps to put the food on the table and it pays for this small house. Goodnight," Hermione gave him another quick kiss on the check but Ron grabbed her waist and pulled her into a passionate kiss. Hermione kissed him back, but with not as much love and heat as she had done with Draco, so many years ago. Hermione, after she ran out of breath, pulled away, gasping. Ron seemed satisfied and headed upstairs. "Goodnight, 'Mione. I love you and I'll see tomorrow morning. By the way, I'm going to be cooking a special breakfast tomorrow, so don't head off to the office to get extra work done. Besides, tomorrow is Sunday and you should take a day off."

Hermione always loved Ron's cooking. She smiled at the thought of him making her a special meal. "Alright, fine. You win, I won't go to work tomorrow. Hey, what's for breakfast?"

Ron smirked as he was planning on keeping his surprise breakfast, just that. A surprise. "You'll just have to wait and see. It's a secret."

"Oh, Ron." Hermione laughed lightly before squeezing his hand and then heading over to the couch to start reading 'The Daily Prophet'. Once Ron was fully up the stairs and in their bedroom, with the door shut, Hermione reached into her pocket and took the memory book out and grew it back to normal size.

The book was rather old. It had a black leather binding that was falling off and the pages were a musty yellow, spotted with mold. It was called 'Memory Charms: All the Secrets You Need to Know'. In this book was the spell that Hermione had used twelve years ago and it also contained the spell she needed to help Draco regain all his lost memories back. There was also an explanation for why Draco experienced a memory when he touched the ring.

_**When one performs the enchantment 'Obstruere memoria', the memory of the victim is tampered with. That person will no longer be allowed to remember memories from a certain period of time, one that the performer of the spell must be thinking of as they perform the spell. **_

_**Then, to remove the enchantment, one must say 'Patefacere memoria' to reveal the memories. However, the incantation will only reveal one memory at a time. The memory can last as long as a second, to as long as a year. While the victim's memory is being restored, they will be sucked inside their own mind to experience the memory, as if in a Pensieve. Time passes much more slowly outside of that person's mind. While performing the spell, it would be wise to perform the charm no more than twice in twenty four hours, so the victim will not be overwhelmed with fatigue.**_

_**Also, in special circumstances, certain memories may be brought back to the victims. However, this can only happen if the performer and the victim held something of importance, together, when the first spell of altering the memories was performed. If the performer and victim were to touch such an item again, before the enchantment has been lifted, there is the chance that a powerful memory could be returned to the victim. There are only two know cases of this ever happening. **_

Hermione's jaw dropped as she read about the last bit of information. She had no idea about that part of the spell. She had remembered reading something like that but since it had been so rare, she hadn't given it much thought. She had to admit, the memory of their first kiss was pretty powerful. The scent of his breath, the soft brush of his lips on hers, the passion and heat that filled her as he kissed her passionately and lovingly that night, was so romantic and by far the best feeling she had ever experienced. This kisses following that night were filled with compassion, but none were as strong as that first kiss.

She looked up at the clock on the wall in the living room as it struck two o' clock in the morning. Ron had probably fallen asleep by now but she figured she should probably go up to bed. It was late, she felt tired and she knew that she better sleep since tomorrow she was going to visit Draco, secretly again, and tell him all that she read. Besides, she had to get a good night's sleep so she wouldn't be cranky when Ron brought her the special breakfast he promised her.

**Chp. 10: Ron's Breakfast**

"Hermione, wake up," Ron whispered into Hermione's ears before he gave her a peck on the cheek.

Hermione moaned as she woke up. She fluttered her eyes open and found a pile of chocolate chip pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs and orange juice sitting on a tray on her lap. She saw Ron sitting next to her on the bed, smiling brightly at her.

She returned the wonderful smile. "Oh, Ron. This is wonderful. It smells so good!" Hermione's favorite breakfast food was chocolate chip pancakes. She was excited that he had made the breakfast for her but there was a slight pain of guilt. He cared for her so much and would do anything for her and here she was, going back to his worst enemy, Draco. She decided that for the morning, she would forget about Draco and try and be nice to Ron.

She sat up, carefully trying not to ruin the scrumptious breakfast he had prepared, and flung her arms around his neck before giving him a long kiss. She tried to put as much fire as she could into the kiss. She let his tongue slide across lips and she did the same to him. She tried to make the kiss as romantic as she possibly could but she still could not feel the slightest ecstasy that she felt when she had kissed Draco. Damn it, she thought. I wasn't going to think about him.

Ron finally pulled away, panting. "Blimey, Hermione. I didn't think my cooking was _that_ good," Ron teased. Hermione playfully hit him as she reached for the tray of food and started to eat the delectable pancakes, eggs and bacon.

Once she was done, she magically made the dishes disappear. She laid back in bed and let her head rest on the pillow, digesting her food. Ron had been watching her all the while. He was pleased to see that she was happy to just be with him. He had no idea that Hermione, though she had been resisting all morning, was thinking about Draco and how he had done something similar to this a very long time ago. Hermione was about to get lost in her memories when Ron broke the silence in the room and she snapped her eyes open.

"So, Hermione, I was thinking that we could go to my mum's today and visit with the rest of the family. They haven't seen you in a while and Harry said they were getting anxious to see you again. Besides, the Halloween party is next weekend and I'm sure mum and dad need some help getting ready."

Hermione silently sighed. She needed to go to Draco today and get started on the memories. She loved the Weasleys but she just couldn't visit them today. However, she knew Ron would not be happy that she was going to visit Draco, especially after he had just made her the perfect breakfast. She had to think fast since Ron was looking at her with a puzzled expression.

"Hermione, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine Ron. I didn't want to ruin your perfect morning. The breakfast was wonderful, thank you. But, I don't think I can visit with your family today-" Ron cut her off. "You mean our family." Hermione sighed. "Yes, sorry. I won't be able to visit our family today since I promised Jane yesterday that I would return again today and help her with a Herbology project since that is the one class she is falling behind in."

Ron gasped. How could Jane be falling behind in a class? She had Hermione's brilliance. "How is that possible?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly Ron. Yes, she is very smart but she's still a normal kid. Besides, she is only second in grades in Herbology. You know Jane. She has to be the best at everything. She's only behind Ashton Longbottom." Ron grinned. Only Neville's son could be better than Jane in Herbology. Neville was a famous Herbologist, so naturally, his son would excel in that subject.

"Well, if Jane needs help, then you should go." Hermione smiled at Ron and gave him a kiss before she got up and threw on some clothes. She put on a pair of jeans and a blue tee shirt that hugged her tightly. Ron noticed her choice in clothes and threw her a skeptical look. "Hermione, are you planning on visiting Draco, as well?"

Hermione turned, slowly, to look at Ron. She didn't want to lie to him or make him suffer any more than he had to. Ron folded his arms across his chest.

Hermione looked straight into his baby blue eyes. She could see the pleading in them. She could tell that he did not want her to go there, not just because he didn't like Draco, but because it would mean that Ron would be loosing Hermione, for good.

Hermione looked away before answering. "Ron, there are things I need to discuss with him. Things about Jane. I'm not going to do anything wrong. I don't want to hurt you. I love you, you know that." Ron relaxed in his seat on their bed. Hermione silently sighed, glad that Ron believed her.

"Okay. I just…I just don't want to lose you," Ron sat up and reached over for Hermione's arm. He gently pulled it so Hermione was standing face to face with Ron. He pulled her into a tight embrace. Hermione, after standing there for some time being held in Ron's arms, pulled away.

"Ron, I need to go see Jane. And, you should probably shower and head over to the Burrow. Like you said, the Halloween party is next weekend and I'm sure they could use a lot of help. If Ginny and Harry are there as well, tell them I say hi."

Hermione smiled at Ron and then apparated to Hogsmeade.

"That's all there is to it," Draco looked questioningly at Hermione after she had explained all that she had read in 'Memory Charms: All the Secrets You Need to Know'. Draco was shocked that it was that simple to gain his memories back.

"Yes, it's that simple." Hermione was glad to be with Draco in his office. Even though she knew that she was technically betraying Ron, she felt like being with Draco was where she was meant to be.

"Well then, can you start now?" Hermione looked taken aback. She wasn't expecting to actually start with the memory retrieval today. Although, now that she thought about it, she really didn't see what else he would've wanted. Why would he just want to be told how to get the memories? If it were her, she would want to retrieve those memories as soon as possible.

"Well, sure. Are you ready?" Draco sat down in his black, leather chair. Hermione stood in front of him with her wand drawn, pointed at his head.

"Ready when you are." Hermione took a deep breath, not sure how well this would work.

"Patefacere memoria," Hermione chanted as she flicked her wrist with the wand. Draco's eyes went to the back of his head as his body lay on the chair, unconscious. Hermione gasped and felt his wrist but his pulse was normal. He was breathing, barely, and Hermione realized that this was just a side effect of the spell. He was supposed to be doing this as he experienced the memory. She sat there, waiting for him to come to, wondering what memory he was experiencing.

**Chp. 11: Locked In**

"Alohamora," yelled a seventeen year old Hermione Granger as she whisked her wand at a rather large oak door.

The present day Draco recognized the room he was standing in at once. It was the common room for the Head Boy and Head Girl. There was a large, stone fireplace in the center of the room with two leather couches facing the fire; one was black with gold writing that said 'Hermione Granger' and the other couch had 'Draco Malfoy' written on it in silver letters. Behind the couches were two sets of marble stairs. Each staircase led to a balcony up at the top. There were two sets of wooden doors off the balcony. One led to Draco's dormitories and the other led to Hermione's. The two rooms were set up the exact same way; they each held a four-poster bed and a large wardrobe to hold all their clothes. There was a large window in both rooms, overlooking the Quidditch Pitch.

The seventeen year old Hermione banged on the door after unsuccessfully opening the door magically. "Open up! Hello? Is there anyone out there? Please, open the door!"

"Granger, what the bloody hell are you yelling about down here? All this racquet woke me up from my wonderful nap." A sneering seventeen year old Draco stormed down the stairs and into the common room.

"Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to get up. I'm surprised you were able to drag your lazy ass out of bed and actually come downstairs to see what's wrong. Normally, you wouldn't be able to get out of bed since your body wouldn't be able to hold up your huge, inflated head," Hermione snarled at Draco.

"Shut up, you filthy Mud-"

"Don't finish that sentence or you know Dumbledore will have you expelled. Remember what he told you the first night we spent in this room? 'Mr. Malfoy, while you are living in these quarters, you would do well to remember that even though you and Miss Granger have hostilities toward each other, it would be wise for you to not insult her in such a way that is not tolerated by this school. If this should occur, I'm afraid I would have no choice but to expel you. You received this privilege to set an example for others and that sort of example is not tolerated.' "Hermione glared at Draco while he glared back.

"Oh, shut up, you damn bookworm! You think you're so smart but you're really just a know-it-all, goody-two-shoes, stuck up bitch!"

Hermione's eyes opened wide as she slapped Malfoy across the cheek and ran upstairs to her room with tears streaming down her face.

The present day Draco watched in awe at the present scene. He had no recollection of this fight and, from what he could remember of their previous fights, he had never, ever gone so far as to curse at her like that nor had she even gone so far as to get so upset that she would slap him.

The seventeen year old Draco lightly stroked the cheek Hermione struck and felt a hot liquid dripping down his cheek.

The present day Draco shifted his position in the room to see the spot that Hermione hit and there was a streak of blood down his pale cheek. Both Draco's stood there, in shock. Neither believed Hermione to be so strong.

The seventeen year old Draco's thought seemed to be projected into the air as if someone was speaking aloud.

'I can not believe a Mudblood just hit me and actually caused me to bleed! I underestimated her. I'm pissed off at her, sure. But, now, I'm…I'm sort of afraid of what she would do to me next. Stop it! Stop it! She's a piece of shit on the earth. She's only a Mudblood. But, what if there is more to her than meets the eye? I definitely did not see that coming. Stop it, Draco! You are a Pureblood and you always have been and always will be better than her.'

The present day Draco was shocked at the change. His old self was fighting with himself since this is the first time that Hermione had caused Draco to change. Draco seemed to be remembering not only what he was watching, but also how this changed his life. This scene in particular was important because it was the first time Hermione had ever challenged him in such a way that he had no idea how to respond. Sure, at the time, he hated her with everything he owned. But, there was a part of him that realized that he was really hurting her and that he was turning into something he did not want to be.

The seventeen year old Hermione came strolling down the stairs, completely ignoring Draco, standing there with blood still streaking down his cheek. The seventeen year old Draco watched Hermione sit on her couch and open up a book and not even notice Draco in the room.

The seventeen year old Draco's thoughts once again filled the air but it seemed as if Hermione was not able to hear them.

'What the bloody hell? She just slapped me so hard that I'm now bleeding and she has the nerve to ignore me?! Fine, two can play that game.'

The teen Draco stomped upstairs and slammed his door shut as he traveled to their shared bathroom to rinse off the blood.

He then came back down only after a few minutes and sat on the couch with a piece of parchment and his Divination book.

The present day Draco decided this was going to take awhile so he sat down on the couch next to his teenage self, watching the two intently.

Hermione was still pretending to act as if Draco didn't exist but Draco, even though he was doing his homework, glanced up every few minutes at Hermione.

They sat like that until Draco's homework was complete. They had been sitting silently for two hours. The present day Draco realized that this was a memory and was starting to wonder how long he would be stuck watching this memory. It seemed like it would never end.

The seventeen year old Draco's thoughts sounded once more.

'We're both stuck in here and Merlin only knows why. Now that I think about it, it's weird how we've been fighting every second of every day and now she's going to start ignorning me. Why? Well, not that I really care, but, I don't know, it's just annoying. I actually like fighting with her. What the hell did I just think that for? I'm so confused.'

The present Draco was starting to remember how they used to fight. They had every class together and when they would walk the halls at night for their Head duties, they would constantly bicker. Everyone, including Draco, was noticing how they spent all their time fighting each other. That was where he secretly started liking Hermione. He would never have admitted it to anyone; he didn't even want to believe it. But, he liked the attention Hermione gave him. His life was not as high and mighty as everyone thought. His father had been pressuring him to join the Death Eaters when he didn't really want to, he had no real friends and the only girls that he could get where complete sluts. He didn't mind sometimes, but most of the time, he craved a girl, or anyone for that matter, to care for him and give him attention. Hermione, in a strange way, was fulfilling that need. She paid him so much attention that she actually started pushing away Harry, Ron and Ginny just to fight with him.

The teen Draco had been staring at Hermione intently for awhile until he could stand it no longer.

"Granger," he huffed as he pulled himself off his couch and walked over to hers. "Can't you do something about that damned door? I'm sick of being stuck in here."

But Hermione paid him no attention. He was starting to get agitated. "C'mon you damned muggle born! Go open the door!"

But she still did not take her eyes from the book she was reading. Draco was really getting frustrated. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. 'If this doesn't make her move, then nothing will.'

"_Hermione_, will you please open the door?" Hermione whipped her head up to face Draco at the sound of her first name. Shock was displayed across her face.

"What…what did you just call me," she gasped, astounded. Never in her entire life had she heard him utter her first name. She didn't even think he knew her first name.

"Hermione, that's your name, right? Like I said, can you please open the door," Draco put on a look of pleading on his face. 'Look at her face, if I could do it, I would fall on the floor laughing hysterically right now. Although, it is kind of cute the way she wasn't expecting me to say her first name. Stop it!'

"I already tried. It won't open. Someone locked us in here." The past Draco started to think and realized that he could figure out who locked it. It was because she was drifting away from her friends and they wanted her back. So, they decided to make them work out their differences and then they could out. Draco wasn't as stupid as he seemed, he just didn't like the reputation of being smart.

"Don't you know why we're locked in here, Hermione?" The past Draco, now that he had begun saying her first name, he didn't want to go back to using her last name. Her first name was pretty. He started mentally beating himself up. He was falling for her hard and fast. He couldn't let that happen for too many reasons. "It's because we've been fighting so much. Apparently, it's getting on a few people's nerves and we need to stop. I will only if you will."

Hermione once again looked shocked but there was a bit of skepticism on her face as well. She didn't know if she could trust him. "What do you want, _Malfoy_? Why are you being nice to me all of a sudden? You are a follower of the Death Eaters and I'm going to be part of the Order. What is in it for you to be nice to me?"

Draco frowned. He was not expecting this, although now that he thought about it, why should he be surprised? He had just called her a bitch hours before and she had slapped him. Why should she trust him? He had to think of how to prove to her that he didn't want to follow the Death Eaters and that, even though they fought, he liked being around Hermione.

"Hermione, first, please call me Draco. I'm calling you Hermione and being nice to you because one, it's the only way we will get out of here. If we continue bickering, we won't ever get out of here. Second, I don't want to be any part of the Death Eaters. There's only one way for you to know if I'm telling the truth and that's using Veritaserum but we don't have any here, do we? Third, and I know this is going to sound crazy, but I swear on my life that even though it seems I hate you since I fight with you all the time, I actually enjoy being around you."

Hermione once again looked shocked. She couldn't believe these words were coming out of Draco Malfoy's mouth.

"Wha…What? I don't understand. You are crazy."

"No, listen." Draco paused. He didn't want to tell her that he might actually like her but it was the only way to prove that he wasn't kidding around. "Hermione, I…I like being around you. Yeah, sometimes you can be really irritating but you are the only thing in my life that I look forward to. My father is constantly nagging me about how when I join the Death Eaters the family will have so much respect. I don't want any part of it. I hate their methods. I'm not a killer nor do I ever want to be. The Dark Lord is pure evil. He kills for fun. That's not me. Here at Hogwarts, I don't have any good friends. Crabbe and Goyle are thick and can be programmed to do anything. They will be Death Eaters but I don't want to conform to Death Eaters ways. Again, that's not me. You stand for everything that I want to be. You are pure good. I…I envy you." Draco looked away; he couldn't stand to look Hermione in the face. He felt so ashamed.

Hermione was in awe and shock. She realized that even though she hated him more than anything only moments ago, she knew this was the man inside. He was a kind and gentle soul that wasn't just another Death Eater. She finally understood why he had picked on her all those years. It wasn't because that he was told to or that he didn't like her, it was because he was jealous of her and had no other way of expressing it. She realized that he needed her.

"Draco, I…you…," Hermione was having trouble forming a sentence. "Draco, you don't need to be jealous of me. You can be like me. You can be good; you don't have to be a Death Eater. Join the Order. I do believe you are telling me the truth. If you weren't, you wouldn't have looked away. You didn't want me to know all this. I can tell, Draco," she told him lightly as she lightly placed her hand under his chin and gently pulled his face so that it was level with hers. "I'm sorry for hitting you before and I'm sorry for everything horrible I have ever said to you."

Draco looked into her chocolate, brown eyes. He had never noticed them so warm before. Whenever he looked at her, she usually glared at him with icy eyes. Now, they were warm hot chocolate and he was melting into them.

"I'm sorry for everything horrible I have ever said, too. If I ever made you cry, I'm so unbelievably sorry and I promise to never do it again." Draco felt like he had an angel picking him off the ground. His life was about to change and he knew it.

The present Draco watched the scene, frozen. He could not believe what had just occurred. So, this was how he and Hermione finally started getting along. All the previous fights were forgiven. And then, Draco was no longer in the Head common room but in his Potions office, staring into the warm brown eyes that he melted in and never wanted to look away again.

**Chp. 12: The Almost Kiss**

"That was really, really fast. What did you see?" Hermione looked at him, filled with curiosity. She was dying to know what memory he had just experienced. He had only been unconscious for about a minute and so she wasn't sure exactly how much of a memory he had seen, or even what he had seen.

Draco sat there, staring up at Hermione. The bubbling in his stomach was about to overflow. He loved her. That was the first time he had thought that. He knew that he liked her, but now that he had gained a memory back, he was beginning to remember not just what happened, but the feelings inside. He craved Hermione like people craved chocolate. He couldn't get enough of her and didn't want her to leave.

"I…I saw the Christmas we were locked in the common room. That was the first time we started being civil to one another, wasn't it? That was also where the change began. We both started to develop feelings for each other soon afterward, correct? I can just feel it," Draco was watching her warm, chocolate brown eyes.

"Yes, that was an important memory. A lot of things changed after that day. We became very good friends and you're right, we become even more soon afterward." Hermione couldn't stop watching Draco. He was very happy that he finally had a substantial memory of himself and Hermione. She could tell that he would be playing the scene over and over again in his head for quite some time. She loved watching him smile. It filled her up with joy, as well. There was something about his smile that had a certain irresistible charm that she could not help but smile as well.

"Well, now that I got the first one down and I feel fine, I think it's time for another one. C'mon, 'Mione. Say the spell." Draco was excited and couldn't wait to see more of his past. He loved being able to finally understand what happened that year and not to have a blur there anymore. Things were becoming so much clearer and he was so happy that now he could experience it for himself instead of everyone telling him what happened. It was as if he was time travelling and re-living that wonderful year again.

Hermione looked at Draco warily. She loved seeing him happy and eager to get another memory back. But, she didn't want to overdo it. This was their first try and she didn't want anything bad to happen to Draco.

"Draco, I think we should take it easy on the first day. Maybe we can do some next weekend when I come to visit again but I think that's all for today. I don't want you to overexert yourself."

Draco frowned. This was not what he was expecting Hermione to say at all. It seemed she was enjoying watching him be able to finally experience what had happened.

"Hermione, you have no idea what it feels like to finally remember what happened. I want to know more, see more. Besides, the limit is two a day. One more won't hurt me."

"No. I don't want anything to happen to you." Draco smiled. She does still care for me, a lot. A brilliant idea popped into his head. He was going to test and see just how much she cared for him.

"Fine, if you won't do it. I will." And he snatched her wand from her hand before she knew what he was doing and held it up to his head.

"No," Hermione shouted as she jumped up out of the leather chair she was sitting in and knocked the wand out of Draco's hand. However, while trying to knock the wand out of his hand, she landed on his lap and ended up knocking the chair over so Draco was lying on his back on the ground with Hermione lying on his chest. They both lay there, breathing heavily at the adrenaline running through their veins as they looked up into each others' eyes. They could feel the intensity of the moment and each other. Draco's eyes finally left Hermione's and moved slightly lower until they reached her lips. Hermione noticed and she moved her face even closer to Draco's to go in for the kiss.

"Professor Malfoy, I have a quick question," came the voice of a young girl just outside Draco's office door. As soon as they both heard the voice, Hermione quickly pulled herself up and Draco did the same. Hermione picked up the knocked over chair as Draco fixed his robes and then cleared his throat and spoke.

"Come in."

Little Jane Granger pushed open the door and stepped into her father's office, noting that her mother was there and that both her parents' faces were blushing profusely. Jane also noted that Hermione's clothes were a little rumpled and Draco seemed to be fixing his hair. This was all from falling over on the chair but Jane was a smart girl and figured out she was interrupting something that was clearly meant only for the two of them and no one else to know about.

"Mum! Hi, um, am I interrupting anything?"

Draco and Hermione answered her simultaneously a little too quickly and with high pitches in their voices. "No."

Jane smirked and it looked like Draco's school days smirk. Hermione was a little startled at the resemblance. "Professor Malfoy-" Draco cut her off. "Jane, please call me dad when it's just us." Draco had asked Jane the other night to call him 'dad' but it wasn't sticking. Jane, even though she had known Draco was her father, couldn't see him as her father while in school and so she still called him professor.

"Fine, _dad_. I will come back later with my question. It was just a question on the essay you set on Friday, anyway. Nothing too important. I will see you later, mum." Jane turned around before either of her parents could tell her to stay.

Once Jane was gone, Hermione looked up at Draco, but avoided his eyes. "I…I think I had better go. I will come back next weekend to work some more on the memories. Give Jane my love and good luck teaching and I will see you later." Hermione was about to walk out the door but there was a gentle hand clutching her wrist, preventing her from leaving.

Draco pulled Hermione closer to him. "'Mione, please," he asked.

Hermione looked up into his deep silver eyes and she went weak at the knees. Whenever she looked into his eyes, she felt as if she would turn into a pile of goo in his arms since he made her melt.

Draco moved his face, slowly, closer and closer to Hermione's face. Hermione could see his eyes shift from hers to her lips, once again. She knew, this time, there would be no interruption.

All of sudden, she felt his soft lips press gently against hers and she experienced shivers all up and down her spine. Her toes were curled and she felt like she would never break contact with Draco ever again. She pushed her lips against his, slowly at first, but then they started kissing aggressively. There was so much fire and passion in that one kiss. Draco rubbed his hands all up and down Hermione's back. She ruffled Draco's hair with her hands. They wanted each other and hadn't experienced the pure joy they were now experiencing in over eleven years. They never wanted it to end.

However, after a few seconds, or hours, Hermione couldn't tell how long they had been standing in Draco's office kissing; she remembered that she already had a boyfriend, Ron. As soon as Ron's face popped into her face, she immediately pulled away.

"Draco, I…I love you, I do, but I can't do this right now, " she whispered. Hermione's face turned so scarlet, it was the color of Ron's hair.

Draco was too shocked and stunned by the kiss and hearing her say she loved him that he almost missed the last part. What does she mean she can't do this, now? He noticed her grab her things and quickly depart from his office. She turned around at his door, for a brief moment, and looked him straight in the eyes. That one brief glance was enough for Draco to understand. He knew that she loved him more than Ron but because she was still technically dating him, she didn't want to hurt him and so they needed to wait. She was sorry, not about kissing him, but because she had just broken Ron's heart again and this time, he wouldn't get another chance. Draco was back and he wasn't going to leave Hermione ever again.

**Chp. 13: Concern and Debate**

"Harry, I'm telling you, she's bringing Malfoy's memories back," Ron bellowed at his best friend.

After Hermione left that morning, while Ron was cleaning the house to make it look nice for Hermione since it hadn't been cleaned in awhile, he discovered a book on the coffee table. He noticed that he hadn't seen it before and figured Hermione must be reading something new. He picked it up and read the title on the spine. It read: "Memory Charms: All the Secrets You Need To Know." It then dawned on him how odd Hermione had been acting and how she had mentioned that she had been talking to Malfoy. He put two and two together and realized that Hermione was in fact giving Malfoy all his memories back. He was furious, not only at the fact that she seemed to be getting back together with Malfoy, but that she had lied to him and was doing this behind his back.

"Calm down, Ron. It's probably not what you think. Yes, she might be bringing his memories back but think about it. Draco knows he's Jane's father and so that must bring up a lot of questions in him and if I had been in Draco's shoes, I would want those memories back as well. Just because she's helping him out doesn't mean she's falling in love with him again," Harry tried to persuade his friend. Ron had just come over to his house with clenched fists and his hair was a mess from having Ron pull on it. Harry knew what he was saying wasn't true. He knew just as well as Ron that Hermione wasn't just helping Draco or else she would have told them that's what she was doing. Hermione was an honest person and didn't have too many secrets.

"Come off it Harry! You know that's not true! She wouldn't have lied to me or have been hiding this from me. I can't believe she would do this! I thought that she was over Malfoy. That was her past and I am here present and will be her future." Ron suddenly stopped in his tracks, for he had been pacing back and forth across Harry's living room.

"Harry, I've just got a brilliant idea. What if…What if I asked Hermione to marry me? Then, when she said yes, as I know she would, we will be married and then she won't be able to be with that scum, Malfoy!" Ron's face lit up like a child watching fireworks.

Harry looked up at his best friend, hesitantly. Harry did not want to get involved in such a serious matter. Harry had a feeling that if Ron decided to go through with his plan, Hermione mostly likely would reject his offer since she still loved Draco and it seemed she seemed to be falling back in love. Ron would be deeply hurt by her rejection. However, it seemed Hermione already was hurting Ron by going behind his back to help Draco. Either way, Ron was going to be deeply hurt, again. Harry didn't want Ron, nor did he want Hermione, to suffer. He knew that if Hermione accepted Ron's proposal, she would suffer and if she rejected his proposal, Ron would suffer.

"Ron, are…are you sure that's the best idea," Harry asked without looking up into Ron's eyes. He didn't want to see the sparkle in them leave from someone bringing Ron back down to reality.

"What do you mean? It's a bloody brilliant plan. It's perfect and you can't tell me that it's not. What can go wrong?"

Harry did not respond. He couldn't. Harry had already seen his friends suffer more than enough on his account during his lifetime. He couldn't bear it if his friends had to suffer even worse because of his words or actions.

"See, you can't find anything wrong with my plan. It's foolproof. I'm going to go to Paris to find the perfect ring. I've been saving up money in case I ever needed to buy Hermione a ring. I'll be back in a few days. Don't tell Hermione what I'm up to. Tell her, Ginny, and everyone else that I'm on important Auror business and that I won't be home for a few days."

Ron bolted out the front door of the Potter's house and Apparated to Paris before Harry could have time enough to pull himself out of his leather chair and chase after Ron. Harry stood in the front yard of his house staring at the spot where Ron had just stood. He was going to make this harder for himself. It was going to be hard enough when Hermione chose Draco. But by creating a false image of hope, Ron was setting himself up for a harder and more painful fall. Harry couldn't bear to see what would become of his friend. He was at a loss as to what to do. He didn't want to Apparate to Paris and hunt down Ron for two reasons. One, he didn't want to hurt Ron by pulling him out of his fantasy land. It wasn't his place to do that. And two, he was Ron's best friend and should be supporting him one hundred percent. However, he couldn't let Ron go through with his plans because Hermione was his other best friend and he didn't want to leave her with the horrible position of having to bring down Ron from the clouds all by herself. She needed his support one hundred percent. Who would he chose? All of a sudden, he realized he was just as involved as Ron, Hermione, Draco and even Jane. They each had a part to play and they were on a side. Harry was the only one in the middle. Which side would he choose? He couldn't decide. He needed advice and there was someone who he knew he could always count on for advice when it came to tough decisions like this.

"Well, that's quite the dilemma, Harry," Harry's old professor spoke softly with his hands folded across the table in his dining room.

"I have no idea what to do."

Professor Lupin pursed his lips. "Harry, I know this might be hard, but I think Ron is going to end up hurt no matter what. You need to know that. And when he completely falls apart, you need to be there to help him. Obviously, trying to tell him that everything will be okay and Hermione will leave Draco at some point is total rubbish. Hermione loves Draco, she did a long time ago and that sort of love never dies, even through the most bizarre events, it still never dies. Ron is going to fall very hard when he comes down from his cloud. Be there to support him. He needs your help more than Hermione does. She's a smart girl and knows what she's doing. She can handle herself, most of the time. Ron, on the other hand, needs a bit more support."

Harry ran his hand through his untidy black hair. He knew this was what was going to happen but it was hard to deal with.

"But, shouldn't I be there to help Hermione? It's going to be hard for her to hurt Ron, especially since he's basically been her so called 'husband' for the last eleven years. It's going to hurt her as well."

"No, Harry. This is something that Hermione needs to do herself. She knows that is her fault that Ron is going to get hurt anyway. She tried to fool herself into thinking that she could just completely forget about Draco. And maybe, if she had performed the memory charm on herself as well, she might have been able to. But because she didn't, the past has stuck with her. It never leaves. So now, it is her and only her, who is going to hurt Ron. Your job isn't to help hurt Ron because then Ron would be even more hurt if he found out his two best friends were against him. You need to be there to support him when he falls. He will get over it, but it will take time to heal. You will be his medicine, in a sense. You will help him to be cured once he's been hurt."

Harry never before realized just how wise Lupin really was. "It's going to be hard, though. Ron has already been hurt once, and it was not pretty. I don't know if anyone could handle it if he was to be hurt again."

"Yes, it will be hard. But Hermione needs to hurt him now, before it gets worse. Either way, someone is suffering. Hermione is suffering, and Ron is too, in a way. He knows, deep down inside, that there is a part of Hermione that still loves Draco, but of course he would never admit it. Ron knows that the time that Hermione first hurt him was deep but he knew that Hermione was happier with someone else. So they both suffer if they continue to live the way they are right now. Once Hermione hurts Ron, she won't be suffering anymore, not completely, and Ron, after a time, will get over Hermione and experience life and won't be suffering either."

Harry realized he was right and so he couldn't debate the dilemma anymore. "You're right. I need to go find Ron before things get worse."

Lupin nodded slightly and reached out for Harry's hand. "Harry, everything will be okay. Once this is all over, everything will be okay. Life will be normal, finally."

Harry nodded. "I know. It's just hard, knowing that Hermione is going to be spending the rest of her life with the son of a Death Eater. And that Ron isn't going to get his fairytale ending."

"Harry, that's life. Nothing is perfect and nothing ever goes according to plan. You, of all people, should know that. After all you've been through, you should know that nothing ever goes the way that it should. If it did, life would be very boring, wouldn't it?" Lupin smiled warmly and Harry returned a slight smile.

"I guess. It's still hard."

Lupin laughed lightly and nodded his head as Harry said his goodbyes and left to find Ron somewhere in the middle of Paris.

**Chp. 14: A Messy Proposal**

"Ron? Hello, Ron? Harry? Ginny? Molly? Anyone? Hello?" called Hermione as she walked into the Potters' home. She had returned to her home to find it empty. She had figured that Ron would be at Harry's. Hermione sighed with a shake in her voice. She was really scared because she knew that she was about to break Ron's heart, again. She knew that she needed to do this now before things get worse. She was really nervous at his reaction. He is stronger and older than he was when he was seventeen and when she broke his heart for the first time. He could do serious damage if he got too angry. She was searching around the house but there was absolutely no one there. She decided that they must be at the Burrow.

"Hello?" Hermione looked around the small living room at the Burrow to see if there was anyone there. But, yet again, there was no one in sight. Now she was really concerned. Where was everyone?

"Hermione," a voice called behind Hermione that made her jump. It was Mrs. Weasley. She had a puzzled look on her face.

"Oh, Mrs. Weasley. You gave me a fright!" Hermione had her hand over her chest, as she tried to slow her breathing.

"I'm quite sorry dear. I was not expecting you. I was told that you were at Hogwarts for the day, visiting Jane. What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for Ron, have you seen him?"

"No, I haven't. Hermione, dear, is everything okay? You look very pale, you are very jumpy and you seem to be nervous about something." Mrs. Weasley gave Hermione a look that mother's give when they are worried that something serious has gone wrong.

"Everything's okay. Nothing happened. It's just…I need to speak with Ron." Hermione tried to avoid looking directly at Mrs. Weasley so she wouldn't give anything away. Mrs. Weasley is the mother of seven and she picked up every emotion from just one look into the eyes.

"Hermione," Mrs. Weasley spoke softly as she moved closer to Hermione and gently lifted her chin so that her eyes made contact with Hermione's chocolate brown eyes. "Why is this so sudden? Does this have anything to do with Jane now attending Hogwarts with her biological father?" Mrs. Weasley took one last look at Hermione's eyes and finally let go and let Hermione look away. Hermione did not answer her question, which let Mrs. Weasley come to the conclusion that she was in fact correct.

"Hermione, dear, I don't think any less of you because you are choosing him over my son. You have found true love and you gave Ron a shot but it just wasn't meant to be. Mr. Malfoy has changed quite a bit from when he was a boy and first attended Hogwarts. If it wasn't true love, I can see that this wouldn't be so painful for you. You are a very smart girl, Hermione and I understand that you know you are making the right choice. Ron will be crushed but he will get over it. He will find his true love in time. And don't think that just because you and Ron are no longer together that you are no longer important to me. You are my second daughter and you will always have a place in this house, no matter who you love. Now, go find Ron and tell him the truth. It's about time he knows, isn't it?" Mrs. Weasley smiled warmly as she hugged Hermione. Hermione had tears streaming down her checks. She loved the Weasleys so much and it hurt her that she had to hurt one of them, her best friend and the man that she did love, but just not as much as Draco. She hugged the older woman back and then wiped her tears and told Mrs. Weasley that she was very kind and that she would be back. Hermione flooed back to her own home where there was two men standing in the living room, one looking extremely nervous, and the other with a little black box in his hands.

"Hermione," Ron whispered as he slowly got down on one knee in front of Hermione, who had just stepped out of the fireplace with a very puzzled and pained expression on her face. "Will you marry me?"

Hermione gasped and placed her hand over mouth. She was in shock. She had come here hoping to get the pain over with, quick and easy, like a band-aid. But, Ron was about to make it ten times harder.

Harry, who was standing right behind Ron, opened his eyes wide. He had found Ron in the middle of Paris, outside a jewelry store, with a little black box in his hand. He had tried to tell Ron that he shouldn't do it, that Hermione wasn't ready for marriage, that it was too big of a step, every excuse he could think of, but Ron just wouldn't listen. He Apparated back to his house and waited by the fireplace for Hermione, who he knew was coming home from Hogwarts soon. Harry again tried to warn Ron not to propose but Hermione had just come swooping into the fireplace before he could shake Ron out of it.

"Ron…I…I…" Hermione stuttered, flabbergasted. She couldn't do it. She couldn't say no, not again. Not especially after Ron had just proposed. Oh, why did I let this go so far, Hermione mentally slapped herself.

Just then, there was a light 'pop' and a tall, blond man appeared in the room, right beside Hermione. He looked around at the scene. Harry was standing behind Ron, looking sad and pained at the same time. Ron was looking up hopefully at Hermione. And, he saved the best for last, the most beautiful woman in the world, looking down at Ron, with tears about to overflow in her eyes. Draco immediately put his arms around Hermione's shoulders. He didn't care what the other two had to say. He couldn't stand to see his true love in so much emotional pain.

"Hey! What do you think you are doing, _Malfoy_?" Ron immediately went from a smile to a scowl in a matter of seconds. He was in the middle of proposing to Hermione and _he _had to show up and ruin everything. The strange thing was, Hermione didn't seem to be pushing him away, or telling him to go away. Instead, she was crying into his chest as they embraced. Ron looked back from Draco to Hermione and realized what was going on. So, she had chosen the enemy, he thought. All of a sudden, he realized that the reason Hermione was crying and having a hard time answering was not because she was speechless and so happy, it was because she was sad because she wanted to be with Draco instead of him.

"So, this is where you have been lately and this is what you've been doing? Bringing his memories back, helping the enemy, huh?" Ron was so angry his fists were in tight balls and his face was turning the color of his hair.

Harry, realizing that Ron had just figured out the truth, immediately grabbed hold of his best friend.

"Ron, I'm so unbelievably sorry this is how you had to find out. I was coming to find you, I've been looking everywhere for you. I wanted to talk to you and tell you but this caught me so off guard that I didn't have the chance to tell you." Hermione started tearing up again. Ron looked like he was about to throw up.

"Fine! Be with him, see if I care! Goodbye forever Hermione! I can't believe I tricked myself for the last eleven bloody years thinking that you were truly over him and that you really loved me. Damnit, Hermione! Why him? Because of Jane? That was a mistake and you know it! You love me more than him and when you realize that, I won't be here anymore!" Harry realized that this was making things worse, for Hermione started sobbing and Ron was about to go at the two of them. Harry quickly, yet careful to keep a firm grip on Ron, grabbed his wand from his pocket and Apparated himself and Ron to the Burrow, where Ron would be able to let off steam and calm down. By the time Mrs. Weasley came rushing into the room, Ron had lost all his anger. He was just extremely upset. He was in tears as well. Harry knew that he needed to keep Ron company. He took Ron up to his old bedroom and let him vent. Harry did not do very well with emotional issues but he knew that when Ron was ready, he would tell Harry he was cool and then they would go somewhere to get Ron's mind off Hermione for awhile. Harry knew this would take awhile, and that he probably wouldn't get to spend much time with Ginny or Molly for awhile but right now, he needed to take care of Ron.

Meanwhile, back at the house, Hermione and Draco had moved to the couch, where Hermione was lying on top of Draco, silently letting the tears fall. Draco was soothingly drawing circles on her arms, helping her calm down and eventually fall asleep. When her breathing had slowed back to normal, Draco looked down and saw her eyelids lightly shut. She was asleep and she looked so peaceful and beautiful to Draco. This is what he had been waiting for all his life. He had wanted to find someone who loved him as much as he loved them. He smiled lightly to himself. Him, the Snake of Slytherin, in love with the Gryffindor Lion. He never would've believed it just a few years ago. He continued to grin as he too fell asleep.

The next morning, Draco woke to find a note left on the coffee table left by Hermione. It read: _Draco, I've gone to Hogwarts to speak to Jane about what has just happened. Be back later. Love, Hermione_. Draco smiled. He couldn't get over how neat Hermione's handwriting was and how she had written _Love_. He had never felt so happy or warm, that he could remember, as he did now. He finally had his life back. He was getting his memories back, he had a daughter and his love of his life was finally back in his arms. He was going to visit his daughter and his love to celebrate. But, before he flooed to his office at Hogwarts, something caught his eye and he placed it in his pocket.

"Wow. So, are you sure you're okay, mum?" Jane looked really concerned. Her mother had just told her about how she had fallen back in love with Draco and had rejected Ron's proposal. Hermione looked like she was about to cry all over again.

Hermione sniffled once and wiped away the tears that were about to overflow from her eyes. "I'm fine, I promise. It just happened all so fast and now Ron's gone. I feel so horrible and yet, I feel so relieved at the same time."

Just then, there was a sound in the fireplace. Hermione and Jane had been talking in Draco's office, knowing that they wouldn't be disturbed there. Draco stepped into his office with a very wide grin stretched across his face.

"Well, I'm glad you're both here. Hermione, there's something I need to ask you."

Hermione looked up at Draco, surprised. What could he want? He looked very excited but nervous about something. It seemed as if it was a question that was meant for only her. "Jane, dear, would you mind stepping outside for a moment? Your father and I need to speak in private."

But before Jane could stand up, Draco gently pushed her back down into her seat. "No, I think it would be better if she stayed for this." Draco took a deep breath and faced Hermione's chair. She was looking at him with her deep, brown eyes trying to figure out the question, just by looking at his face. She looks so beautiful, it's no wonder Jane looks pretty as well, Draco thought to himself.

Draco slowly bent down to one knee as both Hermione and Jane gasped at the same time, immediately realizing what Draco was about to ask.

"Hermione, my dear, sweet Hermione, will you marry me so that I may love you forever?" And with that, he pulled out the same little black box Ron had used the day before.

"Oh, Draco! Yes! One hundred percent yes!" Hermione flew out of her chair and kissed Draco hard on the lips. Jane was smiling and clapping her hands. She was so excited that her parents were finally getting together.

Draco pulled away from the kiss and opened the little black box. Inside was not the ring that Ron had purchased in Paris but it was empty. Hermione looked up at Draco, confused. "Draco, what…"

Draco interrupted her by smiling and shaking his head. "You already have your engagement ring. I gave it to you that 'special' night and you tried to give it back to me but I made you keep it because I knew this day would come. So, you already have the ring." Hermione looked up, shocked. That ring had been her engagement ring? She had taken it off that night after the pub because she didn't want Ron to see it on. She had always kept it with her, though. She always wore a chain necklace, which Ron had bought her, and she wore the ring on the chain. The ring was always underneath her shirt so Ron never noticed.

Now, she pulled the ring from under her shirt and undid the lock so the ring could be taken off the chain. She carefully handed the ring to Draco, who placed it on her ring finger on her left hand. Hermione was crying, but these were not tears of sadness. These were tears of joy.

"Draco, thank you!" Hermione kissed Draco once again and they sat there kissing for awhile when Jane finally rolled her eyes and pretended to cough to make her presence known.

Draco and Hermione pulled apart and looked over at Jane who was smiling at her parents. "Jane, come here!" Hermione laughed. She was glad that her daughter had stayed in the room to see this. Her daughter was the biggest part of her life. Hermione pulled Jane over and gave her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. Draco gently grabbed his daughter as Hermione was about to let go so Jane could hug Draco but something amazing happened that prevented Draco from being able to give his daughter a hug and a kiss. All of a sudden, his life during his seventh year flashed before him. All he could see was memories, pouring back into his mind. He saw events he had already seen, such as the day during their Christmas holiday. And he saw events he had not seen. He saw himself and Hermione just lying on the couches in the Head Common Room, he saw himself and Hermione walking to classes holding hands. He even saw the night he and Hermione made love and conceived Jane. The other events that he had seen he had felt as if he was watching a movie. However, this was different. He felt and knew that it was really him. He could fell the passion and love that he had felt when he had conceived Jane with Hermione that night. He could see and feel it all.

Hermione and Jane were watching Draco with wonder. At first, they had no idea what had happened. But Hermione, after seeing Draco, realized he looked exactly the way he had when he had been seeing all the other memories. This time was different, though. He had not gone unconscious. It just looked as if he was staring off into space and saw something that made him grin from ear to ear. He looked so unbelievably happy and Hermione knew he was getting all his memories back. Jane looked scared but Hermione shook her head at her daughter and smiled, which comforted Jane and she relaxed and they both waited for Draco to come back to his potions office.

It took a few minutes but he finally came back to reality and when he looked into the deep, chocolate brown eyes of Hermione, he knew that he had always loved her more than anything and always would. Hermione and Jane both saw the look of pure joy and pure love in Draco's eyes. Jane was content that her father and mother were finally together and finally in love. Hermione had never been happier in her life. She had known Draco had loved her but the look he was giving her filled her up and made her want to make love to him right then and there but knew she couldn't only because Jane was in the room.

"Hermione, I love you," Draco whispered.

"I love you too, Draco," Hermione whispered back. Jane saw the looks in her parents' eyes and knew that it was time for her to go.

"Mum, I'll see you later. Dad, I'll see you in class tomorrow." Jane waved goodbye and skipped out of the office to tell James and Gabriella what had happened.

Draco and Hermione looked away for just a moment to smile at their daughter and then as soon as she had left, they closed and locked the door and Draco grabbed Hermione and they kissed passionately and touched passionately because they both loved each other so much and they hadn't experienced such love in over eleven years.

One Year Later:

"I do." Draco spoke softly as he placed a beautifully shiny wedding ring on his soon to be wife's finger.

"And do you, Hermione Granger, take Draco Malfoy, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, 'till death do you part?"

"I do." Hermione smiled as she placed a wedding band on Draco's ring finger.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Draco grabbed Hermione by the waist and kissed her passionately as there was applause from the wedding guests. Jane had been the maid of honor and Ginny had been one of the bridesmaids, along with Luna Lovegood. Blaise Zabini had been Draco's best man, and even though he had been hesitant to attend, he realized that his best mate was truly happy and so he figured it would be best to just go to the wedding and not cause any trouble. As soon as the ceremony was over, though, he congratulated Draco and left. He didn't like all the nasty looks people were giving him.

Among the guests was Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore, all of the Weasleys, including Ron, with his finance, Parvati Patil, and Harry, James and Molly. Everyone was so happy for the newlywed couple. They were soulmates and had waited long enough to be joined together for a lifetime of happiness. No one was unhappy. Ron found Parvati and found that he could love another and so he had asked for her hand in marriage, only a few weeks before Hermione's wedding. Harry was happy that both his best friends were happy and were even starting to become friends again. Ginny was happy that Hermione finally got to be with her destined soulmate. Jane was happy that her mother had finally found someone she truly loved and she was also happy that she finally had a real father figure who was the hero in all of Hermione's old stories. Hermione was happy that she finally had let go of Ron and was now with Draco and now had a happy family. And Draco, he was just happy that he had someone to love and a daughter, and he was happy to finally have his memories back.


End file.
